News
Epigram
08.12.2014
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@epigramnews Editor: Sarah Newey
Deputy Editors: Ivana Scatola; Issy May Bull
Online Editors: Alex Evans; Oscar Cunnington
news@epigram.org.uk
iscatola@epigram.org.uk ; issyb@epigram.org.uk
newsonline@epigram.org.uk; ocunnington@epigram.org.uk
Cats used for research were ‘not subjected to cruelty’ Issy May Bull Deputy News Editor George Robb Investigations Editor continued from the front page ‘One device was strapped around their chests containing a heat element that gets hotter and hotter,’ the BUAV report stated, ‘and another small piston put increasing pressure on their paws until they moved them away.’ The researchers who performed these experimentations were, however, quick to declare that the tests were proceeded in a humane manner, and that the BUAV report may not necessarily present the truth.
“ The researchers who carried out the tests assert that the cats were well-treated and not subjected to cruelty
Michael Newey
19% of households have pet cats in Britain, and the University have stressed that they look after their cats to the same standard as pets Dr Luisa Slingsby, who was a part of the 2012 experiments looking into the effects of painkillers, also relayed her side to Epigram. ‘The BUAV come from a position where all animal testing is cruel. Their viewpoint is that you should never do any research on animals’ she said. ‘I’m not going to lie, it does cause the individual cats discomfort. ‘By researching pain, causing pain is inevitable. Obviously our patients can’t give consent, but if I were asked to do it I would be happy’. Allegedly, her cats were kept in ‘very comfortable, communal, maximum security housing’ so that they could not be accessed by unauthorised personnel, she said. They are usually kept for 2 years before being rehomed.
Key Points - Bristol University has carried out experiments on cats - The BUAV has accused the University of cruelty - However, some of the researchers involved have called certain facts provided by the BUAV into question - There is an issue surrounding the transparency of University records
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Richard Apps, one of the researchers involved in the 2009 experiment, said that this particular research was carried out so that they could map the neural functions and pathways of the brain. ‘The reason we’re doing these tests is so that we can understand the brain in order to fight diseases. There are simply no alternative methods. If there was one we’d all jump at the opportunity. It would be much easier and much cheaper’, he said. ‘As to the cats being put in a small perspex box, I have no idea where that came from. They were put in harnesses but that was for their safety’ he also pointed out. Another researcher, S. Tasker, also stressed that ‘We [at the University of Bristol] pride ourselves on minimizing pain and stress… We monitor them very closely and anticipate when a problem is likely to occur… I’m proud of what we do here because the cats could not get any better care’. When asked if she would be willing to receive the same treatment as the cats, Tasker said ‘Yes of course I would. The cats have a wonderful life. Their accommodation is better than my office!’ Tasker’s cats, which were described as ‘laid back, affectionate’ and ‘open and chirpy’ by a pharmaceuticals worker who visited the facilities, were kept for around 8 months before being rehomed.
Although, these revelations may be discomforting for some it must be stressed that the University and researchers are compliant with the law, in particular the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act of 1986. However, there does appear to be an issue of transparency concerning animal experimentations. One particular issue is that universities are not obliged to keep centralised records of all the animals they have experimented on. This is something that The University of Bristol, in particular, fails to do.
The BUAV claims that the University is being deliberately obstructive and concealing information
Dr Andrew Stallwood, a prominent antianimal testing campaigner, highlighted his concern about this after submitting Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the University concerning its animal testing practices in January of 2013. Dr Stallwood stated his perplexity in an email exchange following the partial denial of his FOI request. ‘It would appear that Bristol has a deficient
system of record keeping with regard to this information, which many people regard as important for public transparency and accountability. ‘A cynic might say that it is in the interests of the University to continue the current system of record keeping of the ASPA licences (i.e. not centrally help) so as to subvert FOI requests and avoid having to declare publicly the true extent of animal experimentation at Bristol. I couldn’t possibly comment on such an assertion’, he wrote. The BUAV has also picked up on this issue of transparency claiming that the University is being deliberately obstructive and concealing information on the number and types of animals and to what purpose they were used in testing. David Alder, the University’s Director of Marketing and Communications, has hit back at these criticisms by saying that ‘The University is not purposely withholding information and is committed to openness and transparency in this area’ and that ‘The university will implement a centralised system so that data such as that requested is more readily available’ in 2015. Nevertheless, according to the Animals Act 1986, the University’s licence holder, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, should already hold the information. If the licence holder does not hold the information they are in breach of their licence and liable to be penalised. Michelle Thew, CEO of the BUAV, said ‘How can the establishment licence-holder decide how many staff to employ and what equipment to buy when she claims not to know even how many animals the university holds and why?’
Epigram 08.12.2014
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Relationships impact degree outcomes
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Those who had multiple partners in their final year of university were more likely to have failed their degree It is important to remember that ProPlus, who commissioned the survey, are a caffeine supplement company and it would therefore be dangerous to draw swift conclusions from their statistics. However, whilst university management should not be too concerned with Bristol students’ apparent promiscuity, looking at statistics like these can always be interesting, and often informative. Come exam season, when the ASS library is open 24/7, it may well be worth students rethinking those planned all nighters. The advice given by the survey is that: ‘Whether single or in a relationship, don’t get distracted by a constantly turbulent love life’.
Sarah Newey
Soon letting agencies in Bristol will be included on the website
Review your landlord online Amie Marshall News Reporter
The website is dubbed as ‘the truth about student housing,’ allowing students to submit and read reviews
The site was founded in June 2013 by Bournemouth University student Peter Ramsey, inspired by his own negative experiences with student landlords, and has since expanded nationwide. ‘My landlord ripped me off and I wanted to share my experiences with other students…I couldn’t so I built this platform,’ Mr Ramsey told Epigram. ‘Move’m’ currently provides information about 33 cities including Bristol, London, Manchester and Southampton. It offers a general property search with details such as price, distance from university, WiFi and central heating as well as independent student reviews and ratings. It also
According to Student Beans, Bristol is the tenth most promiscuous university in the UK
New survey suggests degrees are ‘not challenging’ enough Peter Whitelaw News Reporter
Questions have been raised as to whether degrees are still good value for money, after a series of ominous findings from the consumer group Which?. The nationwide study found that just 49% of students found their degree challenging and 26% thought they could do little work and still get good results.
only 49% of students find their degree challenging, 26% thought they could do little work and still get good results Given the fact that tuition fees are now £9000 a year these statistics are rather worrying. Correlated with the rise in tuition fees are a rise in expectations; that one gets value for money out of a degree. Yet these reports will disappoint such expectations. They imply that despite the price of going to university trebling the value of attending has in fact decreased. Indeed, of the surveyed 1023 UK undergraduates, a third considered their degree bad value for money. This news will be particularly concerning for the University of Bristol, where student satisfaction
is already below average. In a recent ‘Complete University Guide’, Bristol came 84th out of 123rd when it came to satisfaction regarding the quality of teaching. However if one were to judge value for money by the employability of one’s degree, Bristol comes out highly for graduate prospects with 78.8% of students finding employment. The studies do imply though that a lot of these problems tend to affect Russell Group universities, including Bristol, less than others. A different survey conducted by The Times’ Higher University magazine found that the expectations within ‘top’ universities were a lot higher than average. For instance at Bristol, students are expected to do 40 hours a week of work, whereas The Times found that one university expected Business Studies students to do no more than 16 hours. Despite the expectation of doing 40 hours a week at Bristol, many students may feel they can do less than this and still come out with a 2:1 degree or better. This was reflected in the survey with only 45% thinking seminars were worth attending and 29% even believing they did more work in school than at university. Which? have proposed a number of ways to rectify some of the issues they found in their survey, and highlighted that the complaints process is a large issue. It found that of the students who did complain, 58% felt dissatisfied with the response. Their executive director, Richard Lloyd, has suggested ‘better information for prospective students, improved complaints processes and a strong regulator that enforces high standards across the sector.’
MC Quinn
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‘Move’m’, dubbed by its founders as ‘the truth about student housing’, is a new website allowing students to submit and read reviews of their student accommodation, landlords and lettings agents on an independent platform.
includes data on a percentage scale outlining the severity of common student housing complaints such as mould, bill prices and deposit returns, as well as ranking the top 100 properties in each city based on the data submitted in student reviews. The initiative has gained the support of a number of students’unions nationwide,including Bournemouth University, the University of Bradford and Swansea University, but Mr Ramsey says that ‘Move’m’plan to further their expansion: ‘We’re currently trying to contact every students’ union and work with them directly’, he said, revealing that he met with University of Bristol Union (UBU) on 4 December. One review of a house in the popular Bristol student area of Redland describes issues that will resonate with many students, stating: ‘House seemed nice, but we have had problems with mould. One of the toilets doesn’t have proper ventilation so we had issues with mould in the bathroom too’. Anyone can submit a review to the site, including students, parents and landlords, free of charge and without the need to log in or create an account. Although landlords are currently unable to ask for a property to be removed from the site they can respond to reviews directly if they feel that they are unjust. In extreme cases the site states that they may be asked to provide proof to contest any accusations that they feel to be inaccurate. As well as reviews, an additional feature of the site is its ‘promotions’ section, advertising student-centred deals and offers available to its users from businesses including Virgin Media and Blackwells booksellers. To access the site, visit: www.movem.co.uk.
Johnny Wilson
A survey of 2,000 former students has found that those who had multiple partners in their final year of university were more likely to have failed their degrees. The survey included students who had left university in the last 10 years. It revealed that 36% of those who had failed their degrees claimed to have had more than one relationship during their final year. Perhaps this is particularly worrying for Bristol which, according to Student Beans, is the tenth most promiscuous university in the UK, with an average of over seven sexual partners per student for 2014. An interesting result given UWE, which is situated in the same city, did not even make it into the top 50. Whilst the survey, which was conducted by ProPlus, is hardly scientific, and certainly does not show any causal link between academic success and serial dating, the results are still surprising. With final years who achieved a 2:1, only 11 per cent claimed to have had more than one relationship during that year; compare this to the 36 per cent achieving thirds. It also found that multiple relationships during final year are nearly twice as common for men compared to women. A more telling statistic, which has often been shown to be more than a mere correlation, is the number of failed degrees from those who claimed
they had regularly pulled ‘all nighters’ to finish work. Whereas only 16 per cent of those who got a first said they did this, this result soared up with whose who had underachieved. Of those who failed their degree, over 40 per cent has frequently worked through the night, and another 39 per cent of students who did this only achieved a third.
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Ben Parr Science Editor
Some have suggested that degrees are ‘not challenging’ enough
Epigram
08.12.2014
5
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Gender-neutral motions passed at Student Council transgender and non-binary students could have the option of choosing gender neutral pronouns (such as they and them), to introduce themselves.
‘Forcing someone to use male or female toilets when they do not identify as either, could, and has, led to misgendering, harassment and violence’
Ivana Scatola
The meeting took place in the Students’ Union on 2 December
Ivana Scatola Deputy News Editor Zaki Dogliani Editor In the second University of Bristol Union (UBU) Student Council meeting of this academic year, students voted in favour of two motions to improve transgender awareness at the University: to bring in pronoun introductions
in small classes across the University at the start of each year, and to introduce at least one gender neutral toilet in every department. Both motions improve trans awareness and combat the risk of misgendering transgender and non-binary students. The first motion, proposed by Chloe Maughan, argued for the enforcement of the measure in small groups and seminar classes at the start of the year. In class registers, students would introduce themselves with their preferred name or nickname as usual, and then their preferred pronoun to teachers and the group. In this way,
Public meeting to address discontent Zaki Dogliani Editor
‘There is an underpinning issue here which is a sense in which students in Arts and Social Sciences & Law are feeling very anxious’ However, if the University feels that SSR is an overrated measure, it is unclear why students were explicitly reassured, through a committee to oversee expansion headed by former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Clarke, that ratios would not rise. Squires said, ‘There is an underpinning issue here which is a sense in which students in Arts and Social Sciences
The meeting will be held in a Question Time format after the Christmas holidays & Law in particular are feeling very anxious about the quality of provision in relation to space, particularly social learning space, the library, and the estate. I’m deeply aware of that. I couldn’t do my job and not be aware of that. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at student survey responses, talking to students and with course reps and staff-student liaison committees. ‘I hear the messages and I do know where the discontent is. I can see where satisfaction is going up or down. We develop very clear action plans to try and address that if we have identified issues.’ Asked about National Student Survey figures which show significant levels of dissatisfaction in the Faculty of Arts, Squires said, ‘I’m not disagreeing that you have identified a particular area where dissatisfaction levels are higher than in other areas of the University. We’re doing an awful lot. Some things are quick wins. Some things are medium-term wins. Some are long-term wins.’
UK Parliament
In a meeting with Epigram, Professor Judith Squires, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, said, ‘We are not suggesting that there was no information in there that was right. We are not suggesting that there aren’t different costs teaching different subjects. That wasn’t our point. The point was that there were inaccuracies.’ Dr Galbraith, the University’s Director of Planning, told Epigram, ‘Some of the numbers are incorrect – e.g. the figure given for Classics is 81 [students], the equivalent hosted headcount figure for 2013-14 would be 277, so that would make an enormous difference to the spend-per-student conclusion’. A statement has been issued to the Classics Department apologising for inaccuracies in Classics figures, which were miscalculated because the number of Ancient History BA and Classical Studies BA students were not taken into account. Galbraith said, ‘The numbers given also include a range of other students who will not be paying a £9k fee – for example students receiving scholarships and bursaries; study abroad students only paying a proportion of the fee for that year; overseas students, postgraduate taught students’. It ‘does not take account of the significant amount of money we receive from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to ‘subsidise’ higher-cost subjects’, she added. While Epigram acknowledges that there were shortcomings with how the figures were calculated, it will not be retracting the premise of the article, because the picture painted was accurate.
Figures obtained by Epigram show that studentstaff ratios (SSR) have increased from 17.5 students per staff member (2011) to 24.8 (2015) in English, and 17.5 to 21.1 (2015) in History and History of Art. Student-staff ratios have also gone up in Law, from 18.3 (2011) to 23.5 (2015), and in Economics, from 18.3 (2011) to 26.2 (2015). Galbraith told Epigram that changes in the way data was collected ‘caused a lot of volatility in some subjects between 2011/12 and 2012/13’. ‘In disaggregating an average, some areas go up, some go down. That doesn’t reflect a reality on the ground, it reflects changes in the way HESA [Higher Education Statistics Agency] told us to return the data. I’m not saying there are other changes reflected in those, but that is a big reason for some of the fluctuations in those areas’. Galbraithalsohighlightedpotentialimplications of some further complexities on the data and spoke about ‘the use and value of student-staff ratios. A “low” SSR does not necessary equate to a positive student experience, or vice versa.’
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Alex Evans Online News Editor
One student at the meeting chose to speak against the motion, arguing that the proposal did not affect a high enough percentage of students at the University to warrant UBU Officers working to implement it. He also claimed that it would actually draw more attention to misgendering than it would combat it, and that those who felt uncomfortable with their gender would ‘surely then not feel comfortable exposing this through a gender neutral pronoun,’ to a class of strangers. He also stated that part of university’s role was to prepare students for the ‘real world,’ in which such measures are unlikely to be in place. Maughan responded by stating support from the transgender community at the University, and pointed out that the University’s role was also to make all of its students feel comfortable in all capacities possible, and that this motion would normalize such a measure. The motion was subsequently passed with a fairly comfortable majority. Jamie Cross, President of LGBT+ Society, proposed the motion for gender neutral toilets. ‘Forcing someone to use male or female toilets when they do not identify as either, could lead, and has, led to misgendering, harassment - and in extreme cases – violence.’ His motion urged the University to join others in the country, such as Leicester and Bath, in showing support and implementing long-term plans for building
gender neutral toilets in university buildings. Cross also designed the recent trans awareness posters displayed in toilets across the University during Trans Awareness Week. The posters were quickly shared online, going viral on Facebook and Tumblr, and gaining national attention from the likes of The Huffington Post and The Telegraph. ‘The pace at which the image of the poster has spread is very impressive. I, personally, had never had something that I had written, or designed, seen by that many people before. It is good that the subject is being talked about. I’m glad that the campaign is reaching people it may not have before,’ Cross said. In response to a few criticisms aimed at the poster on Twitter, which deemed it ‘anti-feminist,’ Jamie told Epigram, ‘It is worth noting that not everyone who identifies as a feminist believes the posters portray an ‘anti-feminist’ message. The Feminist Society here at Bristol has given us a lot of support, and, in fact, helped the poster get most of the positive publicity in the first place. ‘We are by no means encouraging people to behave inappropriately in any bathroom. If someone, regardless of their gender, does act in a way which causes other people to feel uncomfortable or threatened in a public bathroom then that obviously needs to be tackled.’ Other motions passed at Student Council included the introduction of designated smoking areas to prevent antisocial smoking outside of university buildings, such as libraries. A similar policy is in fact already in place at the University, but the proposer of the motion, Shirin El Ghomari, would like to see it implemented more thoroughly in order to prevent passive smoking. This caused a degree of controversy, with a number of students posing challenging questions. The introduction of an ‘e-Eating card’ as part of the U-card was also passed, as well as the motion to support the student campaign for fossil fuel divestment at the university, as seen at Glasgow University, and reported in Epigram (27/10).
Squires went on to talk about the purchase of Beacon House, which will provide ‘350 additional study spaces precisely so we alleviate some of the pressure on the [ASS] library. I can’t, with the best will in the world, deliver on that before September 2015. But we did identify the issue. That’s what persuaded Council to approve that spend.’ Ollie Aston, a final year Italian student, told Epigram, ‘The absurd fees system and cuts to university funding have meant universities like Bristol have felt the need to take on an unsustainable number of students to avoid financial difficulties. I don’t doubt that action plans have been put in place to tackle book and accommodation shortages, but they have not worked and could not have been realistically hoped to work effectively enough’. All students are invited to put questions to a panel that will also include lecturers and a representative from the Students’ Union. The event will be held early in the new year.
Epigram
8.12.2014
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Joan Smith tells Epigram sexual consent needs to be discussed at universities Steve Evans
The project allows victims’ voices to be heard
Bristol hears Peru’s victims James Croft News Reporter In the 1990’s, the Peruvian government underneath Alberto Fujimori carried out forced sterilisation on over 300,000 of their poorest citizens as a means of population control. Now the University of Bristol hopes to raise £20,000 to develop The Quipu Project to allow the testimonies of violated citizens to be heard. Many of the women affected by the forced sterilisations were single mothers, predominantly uneducated and illiterate, who were unaware of what they had signed up for. In other cases, refusal led to violence. The Quipu Project was created in collaboration between Dr Matthew Brown and Dr Karen Tucker of the University of Bristol and Chaka Studios. Peruvian Quipu teams and aid workers use simple technology, such as mobile phones, to translate and transcribe their individual stories onto a website. Dr Brown said, ‘If the Quipu Project can contribute to bringing to light these stories about the abuses inflicted upon marginalized populations, and engender
debate about these histories across Peru, then we will have achieved our goals.’ The most important aspect of the campaign is that it allows the victims a leading role in telling their own stories and lets them see the messages from those who have listened, creating a supportive community whilst simultaneously putting pressure on the Peruvian government in the upcoming 2016 elections for a national apology. Thus the project is primarily created by the victims, not for them. It enables communities that are politically, geographically and digitally marginalised to tell their stories around the world using the internet., via a free telephone line that contributors in Peru can use to record themselves speak about how they were sterilised. The phone line uses VOIP (voice over internet protocol) technology which connects it to the internet. This is however a crowd-funded initiative, meaning Bristol hopes to raise £20,000 to better develop the vital technology and cause a greater impact. Through the often unappreciated medium of the internet, these victims are not only allowed international recognition but we are graced with the humbling experience of hearing their stories first hand.
Joan Smith told Epigram that discussions surrounding sexual consent are ‘absolutely vital’ at British universities, and that institutions should be more ‘sympathetic’ to them. Smith is a journalist and the director of Hacked Off, an organisation campaigning for a free and accountable press, as well as an ardent feminists. Her comments came after she spoke at the Bristol Festival of Ideas about her personal experiences of having her phone hacked and giving evidence at the Leveson Inquiry. Issues surrounding rape and consent have become an increasingly prominent issue within British universities, and a recent Epigram survey has suggested that 46% of students believe there is a rape culture at Bristol University.
“ discussions surrounding sexual consent are ‘absolutely vital’
But Smith emphasised that sexual violence and consent is a wider issue than just within universities. Smith is co-chair of the Mayor’s panel on Violence Against Women, a position which has given her a huge insight into the scale of the problem. She highlighted to Epigram that the most common age group of women experiencing sexual violence is aged, 18-25, the second most common one being 11-17. In an interview with the Evening Standard, she argued that: ‘The boys watching violent porn and slapping
girlfriends at 17 become the men who in a few years will be really beating up their partners.’ Yet Smith also suggested that while the media has become a forum for discussions surrounding the sensitive issue, newspapers in particular also have a lot of responsibility regarding the existence of a rape culture. She argued that it was significant to address ‘the way in which sexual violence is portrayed in newspapers’, because in the past there have been suggestions that women reporting incidents are lying and trying to ruin an innocent man’s life. In particular, Smith expressed her concern that inaccurate or bias journalism could have an ‘effect on the people who are going to be in court making decisions about rape trials’. During her talk, Smith also addressed the role of the press within democracy more widely, emphasising that media standards need to be improved. While she believes that the Leveson Inquiry, which she gave evidence to on the first day hearings, has been significant in highlighting this issue, Smith argues that there should be a Leveson part two addressing the relationship between the press and police to fully ensure high standards are met. The atmosphere within the journalism industry was also a subject Smith touched on, suggesting that she was concerned that a ‘bullying culture’ was driving journalists to act in a manner unacceptable morally. She stressed that subsequently lots of her colleagues in the industry do not see Hacked Off as a negative or an attempt to prevent freedom of expression, but instead a tool to ensure that the media hold people in power to account, yet do not trample upon others in the process.
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‘Biobus’ fueled by human waste from Bristol airport Wing Chan News Reporter
The 40seat biobus - nicknamed the number two bus - runs on biomethane gas
‘The bio-bus is an excellent demonstration of biomethane’s unique benefits; decarbonizing areas other renewables can’t reach. A home generated green gas, biomethane, is capable of replacing around 10% of the UK’s domestic gas needs and is currently the only renewable fuel available for HGVs.’ ‘The bus will also help to demonstrate the true value of separate food waste collections, which are now obligatory in all other regions, to the English government.’
Wessex Water/PA
A bio ‘poo’ bus, nicknamed ‘the number two’ and fuelled entirely on human waste, is now operating from Bristol airport to Bath. The 40-seat biobus runs on biomethane gas generated by the treatment of sewage and food waste, and will carry up to 10,000 passengers from Bristol airport to Bath each month. The bus can travel up to 300 km on a full tank of gas, which takes the annual waste of around five people to produce, according to GENeco, a subsidiary of Wessex water. GENeco general manager Mohammed Saddiq said: ’Gas powered vehicles have an important role to play in improving air quality in UK cities, but the BioBus goes further than that and is actually powered by people living in the local area, including quite possibly those on the bus itself.’ Bath Bus Company, operating the service, said the eco-friendly bus would operate for the rapidly growing A4 service between the airport and Bath via South Bristol. Collin Field, engineering director, at Bath Bus Company, commented: ‘With so much attention being directed towards improving air quality generally, the public reaction to the appearance of this bus on a service between a World Heritage City and an airport will further focus on
the potential for this particular fuel.’ He added the timing could not be more ‘appropriate’ as the City of Bristol becomes European Green Capital in 2015. Charlotte Morton, chief executive of the Anaerobic Digestion & Bioresources Association (ADBA), said
The ‘poo’ bus runs from Bristol airport to Bath 17 million cubic metres of biomethane is generated a year at the Bristol plant through the process known as anaerobic digestion. The amount is equivalent of the power needs of 8,300 homes. Meanwhile, another green innovation has been announced to coincide with Bristol’s role as European Green Capital in 2015. Plans for a 4-metre tall steel ‘solar tree’ built in Bristol’s Millennium Square have been revealed. This idea
came from Demand Energy Equality, a campaign organisation for energy equality and reduction of energy, and will replace a real tree , due to be removed because of old age. The sculpture will provide mobile phone charging, free WiFi and energy quiz to raise people’s awareness of climate change. Dan Quinn, from Demand Energy Equality said that ‘the size of this “wind-blown” architecture will be bigger than the first one made in 2012.’
Designed by the artist, John Packer, the tree includes 36 solar panel ‘leaves’, which will be handmade by people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction within Bristol Drugs Project. Mr Packer explained the concept in his design statement, ‘The solar panels mimic the process of leaves to collect and transform solar energy throughout the day but do not intend to imitate them in form.’ The tree is set to be installed next March, subject to planning consent.
Epigram 08.12.2014
9
Why don’t students read for pleasure? Margot Tudor Features Writer
“ ‘Sometimes you just want to watch Made in Chelsea and let your brain rest for a while’
Others have said that it takes time and dedication to read for pleasure and often they just cannot give it the attention it needs in between lectures and society commitments. ‘I read academic articles all day for my degree, so it’s rare that I feel like reading again in my downtime’, comments second year historian Owen Baldwin. ‘I would be more likely to read magazines or newspapers for pleasure.’ But what effect does this have on students? Obviously we all need to take
a breath and watch some mindless TV every so often, but for the students who used to be voracious readers it’s becoming increasingly depressing to realise how long it’s been since they sat down and gave a non-work related book their full attention. One History of Art student told Epigram, ‘I used to read a book a week and now I’m lucky if I read one every two months. I just don’t have the interest I used to.’ Josephine Harwood, a second year English student, suggested that guilt is a major motivator for not reading for pleasure. ‘I tend to leave reading for pleasure until summer. I always have more compulsory secondary reading to do so I feel a bit guilty every time I attempt to pick up a non-reading-list book.’ Losing interest in reading for pleasure affects you in a couple of ways, one being that it is vital to live a life outside of the university bubble. If you live and breathe Bristol, that’s fantastic, but there needs to be an interest in the world outside the community that we’ve built. If people are not looking outwards we lose that element of creativity and collaboration that makes a university campus so
flickr/Crossett Library
How long has it been since you read a whole book – cover to cover - for pleasure? It becomes a strangely impossible task once you get stuck into a term at university. For some students, the moments when you are not reading are a blessing so why would you pick up a book? There is a reason that university students are notorious for Netflix addictions rather than picking up a Penguin Classic. It seems like a temporary affliction, however, as we are constantly bemoaning that pile of books we’ve mysteriously collected during term time that need to be enjoyed during the holidays. So, if it’s not being at university that puts us off the thought of reading for pleasure, why aren’t we all snuggling down to the new Man Booker prize winner during term time? Some have compared this lack of reading for pleasure with not having time to watch the news anymore, explaining that we need a break at the end of the day and we cannot be
expected to be constantly studying – even if we are full time students. ‘It’s healthy to take a break’, one first year History student commented. ‘Sometimes you just want to watch Made in Chelsea and let your brain rest for a while.’
diverse. Another is that reading for pleasure is a way of connecting to a world or a topic outside of your degree, but that does not mean it has to be totally irrelevant. Most professors push for wider reading and yet people often overlook the fact that the books they are reading for pleasure can have an impact on their work. Reading for fun can provide us with different perspectives, arguments and world
views. TV can also do this but instead of just watching Game of Thrones, maybe begin the mammoth task of reading them as well? You may not have as much time as you did during secondary school but there are wider effects to reading; not only for having fun but for ensuring you remain sane within the university bubble.
Postgrad: a social mobility crisis?
“ ‘With no student loan to help pay rent or living costs, many are forced to work alongside their studies’
need to undertake a post-graduate degree but can’t fund it themselves, to do so. Earlier this year, the student accommodation provider Unite published a report which underlined the concerns surrounding the costs of postgraduate study. According to the report, only 22% of the 810 postgraduate students that took part in the survey think that the current funding system works, and nine out of ten would prefer the tuition-fee loan system that
is in place for undergraduates. Almost a quarter said that they now have more debt than expected and 28% said that the funding they receive doesn’t cover their living costs. While there are ways that students can cover the fees of postgraduate study if they can’t pay for it themselves, living expenses are a different matter. With no student loan to help pay rent or living costs, many are forced to work alongside their studies, some to the extent that they have to do a part-time course over two years so that they can earn enough to live at the same time. Postgraduate study is difficult enough in itself, and working at the same time can make it very stressful and have a negative impact on the quality of students’ work, which slightly defeats the point of undertaking further qualifications. Sadly, it seems that many opportunities outside of undergraduate study which may help students obtain a good job have become a privilege reserved for those who can afford them. Unpaid internships have come under fire recently and have been described as a class issue; according to research by the Sutton Trust, ‘a six-month unpaid internship would cost a single person living in London a minimum of £5,556’. For those who come from wealthy families, it isn’t an issue, but these internships are off-limits to young people who can’t afford to support themselves without being paid. Unpaid internships are essentially elitist and exploit young people who want to gain experience in order to have a chance at pursuing their desired career. As Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Exeter and member of IPPR’s commission on the future of higher education, said, ‘It is imperative that all students, no matter what their background or circumstances, should
‘It is imperative that all students, no matter what their background or circumstances, should have a clear and affordable route to postgraduate education’
have a clear and affordable route to postgraduate education’. If a student’s application for postgraduate study is accepted by
flickr/DonkeyHotey
In November, a consortium representing six Russell Group universities, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Warwick and York, rejected proposals for a statebacked loan system for postgraduate education. Despite this, in his Autumn Statement on 3 December, Chancellor George Osborne announced a student loan system for postgraduate Master’s degrees which will be available from 2016 – 17, claiming that it will ‘revolutionise’ access to postgraduate university courses. Although it has been criticised for only being available to students under the age of 30, it is a long-awaited step in the right direction. A recent report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) put forward a ‘workable and affordable’ model which would allow postgraduate students to borrow up to £10,000 to cover the cost of tuition. This loan would be paid back at 9% of earnings between £15,000 and £21,000. Whether the government will adopt this model is unknown at this point. As it stands, the closest thing to this model is the Professional and Career Development Loan, often referred to as PCDLs. These are available from Barclays and The Co-op to people between the ages of 18 and 69 who want to undertake further training or education. All approved part-time, full-time or distance learning courses that last up to two years are eligible for the loan, which can be between £300 - £10,000 and is paid back at a fixed interest rate of 9.9% per annum over a period of one to five years, previously agreed with the bank. The government
pays the interest on the loan until the course finishes, and once it does you have a month to find a job until the repayments begin. In comparison to PCDLs, IPPR’s model is more appealing and viable to those looking into postgraduate study., but the chairman of the consortium of six Russell Group universities claims that a state-loan system won’t help students from poorer backgrounds. The six Russell Group universities’ research shows that ‘students from less well-off backgrounds are more likely than average to say they wish to go onto postgraduate study, but are discouraged by debt’. While a government-funded loan system won’t change the fact that students will be increasing their debt, it will make it easier for those who really want or
“
Emily McMullin Deputy Features Editor
an institution, they should be able to undertake it regardless of their financial situation. When one considers the current economic climate and lack of funding available to postgraduate students, it is not surprising that the number of people ‘enrolled in UK taught Master’s programmes has steadily declined from a peak of 160,000 in 2009-10 to the current level of 140,000 students a year’. Social mobility is an issue that should be considered with regard to all education, not just undergraduate, and although living expenses will remain a difficulty for some, the government loans for Master’s will make postgraduate study more widely accessible.
Epigram 08.12.2014
10
‘Tis the season for advertising Rosie Quigley Features Writer
particularly when you consider Christmas for an 11-year-old is one of the most exciting times of the year. That said, I enjoyed the soundtrack and she did seem to perk up (slightly) at the end. A rundown of this year’s Christmas adverts wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the Sainsbury’s three-anda-half-minute epic. I won’t get into the debate about whether it’s right to use war to sell a product, but suffice it to say, as my flatmate nicely summed up: ‘It’s a simple story, but it has such an incredibly cathartic ending, it makes it a perfect Christmas ad.’ Part of an on-going partnership the supermarket have had with the Royal British Legion over the last 20 years, it was surprising to see a commercial of such quality from Sainsbury’s, who hadn’t previously been considered a big contender for Christmas ad space. However, it’s not just the huge food retailers who have taken a stab at a lengthier commercial. Boots opted for a festive message along the lines of ‘make someone feel special’. The advert itself however was fairly disappointing. What particularly struck me was that the girl who has come home from travelling pops into Boots for a gift because it is the only shop still open; it was quite literally her only option. To me, the message reads more like: ‘If you’ve got no other choice, we’ll do!’ Perhaps even Boots
flickr/charlott_l
It’s coming. Lights are flashing, baubles abound and garish jumpers have once again become a month-long fashion statement. Even Band Aid has been dug up from its shallow grave. As if on cue, we begin to be bombarded with a frenzy of elaborate, sickly sweet, and hugely costly advertisements. These commercials - perhaps mini films would be a more accurate description - are thrust in our faces by retail giants which seem to be demanding why, with only 4 weeks until Christmas, we haven’t already finished our entire Christmas shopping list. We have a mere few weeks left to buy all of the turkey, tinsel, and anti-ageing cream we surely must acquire in order to fully enjoy the festive season. It all began in the first week of November, when the coming of Christmas was heralded by Coca Cola, and with it the ageold saying that goes something like: ‘It’s more or less nearly a month until Christmas once the Coke ad is released!’ This year, much like every other, the advertisement featured a flurry of Christmas lights, a couple of big red trucks and a beaming Santa. Nothing too offensive or, for that matter, particularly noteworthy, which probably says more about the immense power of the Coca Cola brand
than anything else. But the floodgates had been opened, and from this point onwards a slew of ads clamouring to grab our attention (money) have filled our television screens and Facebook newsfeeds. JohnLewisoutdidthemselves yet again this year with its piece entitled (yes, they have titles now) Monty The Penguin. The £7 million, 2-minute feature was set to the hauntingly heartwarming lilt of Tom Odell’s ‘Real Love’. Despite receiving criticism for vague allusions to sex trafficking (the child buys a girl penguin for his boy penguin), I think most of us can agree that the real sentiment shone through clearly enough: the importance of giving someone ‘the Christmas they’ve been dreaming of’. The huge amount of publicity it’s received is a testament to its popularity and the marketing geniuses that lie in wait to pounce on our Christmas spirit (money) each year. Next up, and part of the John Lewis group, Waitrose revealed its offering to this year’s commercial frenzy, with The Gingerbread Stall, accompanied by a charity version of Dolly Parton’s ‘Try’. I was slightly less convinced by the message of this one, which was apparently ‘when you own something, you care a little more’ (I assume referring to the gingerbread stall run by the little girl). Perhaps I’m missing the point, but I wasn’t really sure why the girl was so moody,
themselves agree that some of the magic is lost when you resort to buying Christmas gifts from a pharmacy…. Overall, a fine selection of promotional features has been proffered on the metaphorical stage of prime-time television. But are these retailers spending their many millions wisely? Do the advertisements really make us want to buy their products? Although I wasn’t fully persuaded by all of them, they must be doing something right: John Lewis for instance recorded a 44.3 per cent online sales surge after its 2012 advert
- the wonderful snowman scenario - and the stuffed penguins featured in this year’s promo sold out in under 24 hours (though they’re available on eBay for a whopping £500). Having subjected my flatmates to every single Christmas ad I could think of, they concluded that what was more important was this idea of ‘the cult of Christmas ads’ being appreciated as a way of helping people to feel more festive. Is Christmas being commercialised far too early? ‘Well,’ said one flatmate, ‘the hype is definitely starting earlier
and earlier, but I think the same is true for any celebration or holiday, including Halloween and Easter. I think it’s just about shops trying to make as much money out of them as possible.’ Unavoidable, then, seems to be the general consensus on Christmas promotions. But do we even want to avoid it? Perhaps they are something that, in true British fashion, we love to hate. If nothing else, they do at least prepare us for the festive season, and, paradoxically, remind us that there is more to Christmas that pure commercialism.
Clifton Suspension Bridge celebrates 150th birthday in style
Lucy Bairstow Features Writer
flickr/Joe Dunckley
Built in 1864, Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge is the most iconic structure in Bristol. Visited by around 500,000 tourists and locals each year, it is hard to imagine that the bridge was almost never built,
after riots over the unfair parliamentary influence of rotten boroughs in 1831 put a stop to the building process. Brunel also designed the Great Western Railway, Temple Meads train station and Box Tunnel between Bath and
Chippenham, making him one of the most prolific architects of the nineteenth century. With the total length of the bridge measuring 1,352 ft (412 m) and suspended 245 ft (75 m) above high water level, it is no surprise that the bridge took
five years to finally complete. The bridge is the one of the first places that students in this city take visitors to.One look into the 1.5 mile Avon Gorge makes the reason for this obvious: this dramatic setting provides the perfect backdrop for a family
photograph, which visitors can take home as a souvenir from their time in Bristol. A short walk across the bridge, and you will find yourself in Ashton Court - perfect for walks in summer. Alternatively, stay on this side of the bridge, and its only a short walk back into Clifton Village. Both perfect as a way to impress your visitors (if, for some unheard of reason, the bridge, has failed to do so). On 7 December, in order to mark the opening of the Clifton Suspension Bridge 150 years ago, Bristol City Council organised a celebration with a bang - quite literally. Crowds were invited in their masses to watch the biggest and most extravagant firework display Bristol had ever seen completely for free. Organiser Ben Hardy had promised a ‘few surprises’ prior to the event.The 15-minute show was prepared to include thousands of rockets and some impressive
sequences of fireworks. On, Monday December 8, the actual anniversary, a procession is to pass over the bridge,re-enacting the opening celebrations of 150 years ago. Open daily, the Clifton SuspensionBridgeiscompletely free, (driving will cost you up to £1 to cross), making it the ideal day out for you and your friends. Suggestions to charge cyclists for crossing have been made, drawing angry responses from cycling groups, but motor vehicles remain the only ones charged at the moment. Whether you are coming to the end of your first term or the end of your three years at Bristol, the Clifton Suspension Bridge is not to be missed. Every evening, lights light up the entire Bridge, making it just as spectacular to visit by day or by night, even when there aren’t fireworks above it.
Epigram
08.12.2014
119
The desaparecidos who launched the fight against Mexican state corruption Sam Benstead Features Writer
flickr/ziphoto
Mexico is the fourteenth largest economy in the world, wedged between Spain and South Korea in terms of GDP. It exports goods and culture around the globe and has hosted two World Cups and an Olympic Games. It is fully integrated into the global economy and global conscience. How is it then possible that the current Mexican government, whose president has been praised internationally for his sweeping economic reforms, can carry out an act of political violence so extreme that it would not be out of place in Pinochet’s Chile or Videla’s Argentina, two dictatorships responsible for unforgivable human rights abuses? On September 26, 43 trainee teachers were arrested by local police in Iguala, in the state of Guerrero on the way to a protest against discriminatory hiring practices. The mayor ordered for the protest to be stopped so that it wouldn’t interrupt a social event that his wife was hosting. It turned violent and six students were killed whilst 43 more were rounded up by police. The mayor then ordered for the students to be handed over to a local drug gang whose members included his wife’s brothers, Los Guerreros Unidos, and ‘disappeared’. The students remain ‘disappeared’ but in the search for their bodies, no less than five mass graves have been discovered. Despite the vast quantities of charred and tortured corpses found since the incident, DNA tests have
been inconclusive about their identities. The government’s defence is that the problem is confined to Iguala. When questioned, the Attorney General replied: ‘A crime of state? … Iguala isn’t the Mexican state.’ In fact, it is a state-wide problem; municipal police forces are corrupted by organised crime across
the country. Mexico is so decentralised that different regions are under the control of different drug cartels, and the central government can pretend not to know. The Iguala case stands out from the countless other violent acts attributed to Mexico’s drug war for one reason – the drug gang murdered students, and not rival traffickers. The
students were protesting for education reform against the government. What does this have to do with drug trafficking? It has everything to do with drug trafficking because the government in many ways is the same as the drug cartels. Officials accept bribes and allow the drugs, and profits, to flow. In order to stop the protest the mayor turned to
his ally, Los Guerreros Unidos. The Iguala massacre is a manifestation of the problems that Mexico has faced for twenty years – corruption, impunity, and unspeakable violence. Mexicans are angry at the government and are calling for change but are voiceless against the might of the drug cartels and the government that appeases them.
Mexico’s situation can be summed up by the way that the Attorney General, Jesús Karam, ended his press conference about Iguala. ‘Ya me cansé’ – ‘I’ve had enough’. Perhaps the government has had enough of the backlash from their latest execution, but as they are saying in Mexico…if you keep planting bodies, who knows what you will grow?
Realidad Expuesta
Epigram
08.12.2014
Letters
@EpigramLetters
Editor: Olivia Petter letters@epigram.org.uk
Grinch Grump
Christmas music makes my ears bleed
The things I dislike most about Christmas, though, is the Christmas music. I loathe it. I hear the same songs over and over again every year and I can’t stand to listen to them anymore. There is also no escaping them. They are played everywhere you go. Every store, household and radio station will force you to listen to them until your ears bleed. I used to feel differently about Christmas: when I was a kid I loved it and would get so excited. Sitting up
in my room wrapping the presents for my family, waiting to hear the bell ring that would tell my sister and me that we were allowed to come down to the living room to unwrap our presents. If it had snowed it would have made it extra special. Now that I am older, Christmas has lost most of its magic for me. I don’t get excited about snow anymore. It just means I have to go outside and shovel our driveway and sidewalk. Christmas used to be special because it was only a few days of the year. Now, stores try to extend the Christmas shopping period for as long as possible to make a bigger profit and people go crazy for the Christmas shopping. Even if you just go out to buy something absolutely Christmas-unrelated it will take you ages and lots of patience. And it seems to get worse every year, too. I think this entire experience wouldn’t be that bad if it did not start so early. Having too much of something just makes it lose its specialness. The Americans have that one figured out. The Christmas season starts only after Thanksgiving, which means the end of November. Now that is something I could cope with.
Ana Ziegler
Tweets of the fortnight:
@ellesugden93
@bethlaverack
@themikeoliver_
@ zoebranannhi
“Hit a new low: eating two day old pizza on the floor of the library due to lack of space and lack of dignity. #UoBProblems” #EssaysRuinLives”
“Maybe you could use the £4,774.32 that’s not been spent on me per year for all those books I’m expected to buy? #BristolUni”
“That moment when you realise you’re having £50 worth of food shopping delivered to your home in Bexley instead of your Uni House in Bristol.”
“There’s such a classic shoe that comes with a Bristol University student”
“
Am I a satisfied student?
Type ‘student satisfaction-Bristol University’ into any search engine and you will be sure to find a number of articles discussing the dwindling reputation of the university. For example: ‘Bristol slips down rankings while UWE is on the rise’ or ‘what do you hate about the University of Bristol?’ Yes, some even go as far as asking us to rate the things we hate most about the university from one to ten. A tricky decision for many to be sure. Others ask, ‘what do you like about the University of Bristol?’ and as it turns out, actually not very much at all. According to league tables, many students who have been ‘fortunate’ enough to get a place to study here aren’t satisfied with the experience. In fact, Bristol is almost unparalleled in the criticism directed at it for giving its students a poor university experience. So what exactly is it that is making us all so unhappy?
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Ah the jolliest time of year is here. It is Christmas. Again. Already. Well, actually it has been here for two months. When did we start putting up Christmas decorations this early? You can buy Christmas candy in the supermarket by the beginning of October --November the latest. Seriously, people start thinking about Christmas decorations in July. I have a flatmate who would like Christmas to be six months long. If that were the case I would go crazy --maybe that’s why she calls me the grinch.
I’m not sure what role the students’ union plays
Even before I came to Bristol, I was somewhat disappointed with the university. Once I had confirmed my offer, I think I received one or two emails congratulating me and that was it. How does this differ from other universities? Well, from the University of Exeter and Kings College London I received much more information about help with accommodation, settling into the university and how to prepare for the new term. The lack of contact from Bristol worried me but I put it to the back of my mind. Bristol had always been the university I dreamed of. Anyone who comes here to visit cannot help but be a little bit blown away by it: the pretty Georgian houses, the Wills Memorial Building (the inside of which one could imagine wouldn’t
look out of place in any Harry Potter film) and of course no one could come to Bristol without seeing Wills Hall. No doubt it’s something to see within itself, opened by Sir Winston Churchill in 1929, it’s where wealthy gap-year students usually spend their first year and it is arguably worth every penny of the seven thousand a year they pay to stay there. The cold welcome I first received from Bristol should have sent alarm bells ringing, as it was the start of the feelings of frustration I was going to be feeling for some years to come. And I am not alone. It’s hard to work out exactly what annoys the students here the most, but the cost of student accommodation is definitely a contender. The city was voted as the second most expensive student city in the UK in 2013, meaning Bristol rivals London in terms of cost with the average rent coming in at £96 a week and the cost of a lager only 65p less than those universities in London. Everyone knows that part of being a student is about being broke but this really does take the biscuit. It cannot be denied that having little of your student loan left to spend on yourself, after you have paid for your accommodation, is really depressing. The university should certainly be doing more to help us find more affordable accommodation. At the heart of most other universities is the students’ union, but this does not seem to be the case at Bristol. In fact, I am not sure exactly what role the students’ union actually plays. At one point the building itself was even considered as one of the most unattractive students’ union buildings in the UK, and the location isn’t great either, but with that said it has undergone some renovation. We can only hope that it is on its way to recovery. Some of the societies that are run by the students’ union are really impressive - we even have a Quidditch team so you can bring your dream of being a Harry Potter character to life. Additionally, some of the sports societies are fantastic with very dedicated, motivated, and talented individuals participating in rowing, playing hockey and rugby.
The university should be doing more to help us find affordable accomodation
The only way these societies could be improved was if they were cheaper to join - if you can’t afford to spend £250 on a sports pass, you can’t join most of the sports societies. It seems like sports at Bristol is only for those who have quite a bit of money to spare. Many students have responded to this, with some even setting up a twitter account to poke fun at the expense of sports passes here with tweets like ‘too many poor people in the gym today’. One of the main complaints from students here is the lack of contact time they have: many English, Psychology and Philosophy students having just six hours of classes per week. With university fees now coming in at a total of £9000 a year, it does not seem like we are receiving quality or quantity in terms of teaching for our money. Of course, it isn’t true for all subjects but should Bristol be doing more to give students more contact time with their lecturers for certain courses? It seems the answer to this question is a big fat YES! Especially considering that arts and humanities students end up funding most physics, medicine and dentistry degrees. Overall, it is not all doom and gloom studying here - Bristol is such a vibrant, beautiful city that some would argue it’s worth the large sum of our student loan it takes to live here. Changes are being made and lecturers are becoming more aware of the fact that we are dissatisfied with our time at university. As a course representative, I would say to anyone having trouble that they should definitely get in touch with those who are there to help, because despite what you may think it does not always fall on deaf ears.
Anonymous
Epigram 08.12.2014
Crossword Clues
Puzzles
Across
2) Distance between two points (4) 5) Baby deer (4) 7) Group of chicks (6) 9) Skelter (6) 10) Jimmy Cliff and Peter Tosh were artists who produced music in this genre (6) 11) North Atlantic Alliance (4) 13) Section in a supermarket (5) 17) Mythological beast with layers (4) 18) Brunel’s middle name (7)
Down 1) Music rooms (8) 2) Bangers (8) 3) Curved structure (4) 4) First name of Italian footballer Pirlo (6) 6) Occupation of RenĂŠ Magritte (6) 8) Won Golden Globe for best actress in 2006 for her role in The Queen, first name (5) 12) Nuclear energy source (4) 14) Three in Roman (3) 15) In maths, what function would you perform on 1000 to get the answer 3? (3) 16) Relation of Gromit to Wallace (3) Brought to you by Craig Horner
Fortnightly quiz 1. Which English comedian dropped out of the University of Bristol and became a podium dancer and an oil rig worker before making his way into comedy? 2. Which BIMM graduate recently had Ian McKellen feature in his music video? 3. When was the Clifton suspension bridge completed and who designed it? 1824, 1864 or 1904? 4. How tall is Wills Memorial Building? 46 metres, 56 metres or 66 metres? 5. What does the University motto vim promovet insitam mean?
Answers at epigram.org.uk
17 13
UBU News
News and opinion from the University of Bristol Students' Union www.ubu.org.uk
GeNeral electioN
Get GiviNG
What'S oN
Quiz the candidates
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UBU Events
The Best of Bristol Who inspires you? Dec 2014
share yoUr iNspiratioN public. lunchtime lectures will be held on the University precinct and at halls
by Alex Bradbrook, Academic Experience 8* 2IĂ€FHU
of residence and will be selected by academic societies. the evening lectures will be selected by a University-wide vote.
one of my projects for this year has been to reestablish the Best of Bristol lectures, which last took
if you have a lecturer whose inspiration
place in 2012. the Best of Bristol lectures are an
needs to be shared, head to the Best of
opportunity for students across the university to vote
Bristol lectures website at www.fruni.
for their favourite lecturers to give a talk to a large
org.uk/universities/university-bristol
audience of students, staff and the general public.
to nominate and vote for them so that everyone gets the chance to see how
We'll be hosting a series of free lunchtime and evening lectures in early 2015, open to students, staff and the
great they are.
Christmas jumpers are on sale now from just ÂŁ12! Head to www.ubushop. co.uk to buy yours.
university chaLLenge teaM seLected )ROORZLQJ ÀHUFH FRPSHWLWLRQ WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI %ULVWRO WHDP IRU 8QLYHUVLW\ &KDOOHQJH KDV EHHQ VHOHFWHG 7KH IDPRXV ÀYH DUH 9DQHVVD /\QQ VHFRQG \HDU (QJOLVK 2OLYHU -DPHV VHFRQG \HDU /DZ 0$ 5REHUW +D\PDQ VHFRQG \HDU &KHPLVWU\ %HQMDPLQ /HLJK ÀUVW \HDU PHGLFLQH DQG $QG\ 6D[RQ VHFRQG \HDU (YROXWLRQDU\ %LRORJ\ 3K' *RRG OXFN team!
Let there be rock! Dec 2014
We now have a full range of band equipment for all students to use, courtesy of the University of Bristol Alumni Foundation. This includes a drum kit, bass and guitar amps and a full PA system with mics and stands. To use the kit, simply go to the activities section of the website (in room and equipment bookings), sign up for the equipment and pay £10 for a year’s subscription (this is to cover repairs that may be needed throughout the year). :KHQ \RX DUULYH LQ WKH EXLOGLQJ WR XVH LW VLPSO\ VKRZ \RXU FRQÀUPDWLRQ HPDLO to the Porters along with your student ID, set up and enjoy!
Quiz your prospective Mps on twitter With the general election just seven months away, NUS are holding online hustings with prospective parliamentary candidates in a number of constituencies. We are looking for 10 questions from students directed to the candidates in the Bristol West constituency in advance of an online question time on Wednesday 10th December. 7KLV ZLOO EH D JUHDW RSSRUWXQLW\ WR ÀQG RXW ZKDW WKH FDQGLGDWHV WKLQN DERXW national and local issues which are important to students. If you would like to submit a question please tweet it to us at @ububristol
Looking for a house? UBU Lettings have just released their list of new properties. Renting properties through UBU Lettings means you don’t pay any agency – plus they vet the properties to make sure they are good for students. More details at www.ubulettings.co.uk
Anson Rooms
FOXES 6 DEC
6LJQ XS WR RXU PDLOLQJ OLVW WR UHFHLYH OHJHQGDU\ JLJV VWUDLJKW WR \RXU LQER[ www.ansonrooms.co.uk
Presented by
#givingtueSday As part of a global day dedicated to giving back, we were out on campus to celebrate all the different ways University of Bristol students give. Check out these photos to see how students made a difference!
StudentS giving back at chriStmaS The Annual Kids’ Christmas Party is UBU's biggest - and most exciting community event of the year. Over 50 students come together to put on an afternoon of games, craft, drama, face painting and food (oh, and not forgetting a visit from Santa) for 75 vulnerable and disadvantaged children from across Bristol. This year, UBU Volunteering are being assisted by Improvsoc and Dramsoc to make the party an even bigger success than it was last year, the former hosting an improv workshop and the latter performing a Christmas play to wrap up the day. The party, taking place at Churchill Hall on Saturday 13th December, is without doubt a highlight of the UBU calendar. Find out more at www.ubu.org.uk/volunteering
Shop online for official University of Bristol merchandise
ubushop.co.uk
Hoodies, t-shirts, gifts and more!
Dec 2014
What's On December Monday 8 Bristol Consulting Society: "How to crack the case" Workshop, G25, Wills Memorial Building, 5:15pm - 7pm UBU Quiz night, AR2 Bar, 7:30pm - 10pm MTB Musical: Cabaret, Bierkeller, 8pm - 11pm
TUesday 16 Brandon Trust Charity Fundraising Event, Basement 45, 10pm - 2am Wednesday 17 &RPSHWH 8%8 2IĂ€FLDO 6SRUWV 1LJKW 7KH %XQNHU SP DP
TUesday 9 BFAVS Christmas Quiz, langford Bar, 7pm - 11pm MTB Musical: Cabaret, Bierkeller, 8pm - 11pm UoB Inter-Society Christmas Concert, St Paul's Clifton, 7:30pm 9:30pm Wednesday 10 Housing Fair, Wills Memorial Building,11am - 4pm UBU Reclaim Your Campus Workshop, 7pm - 9pm &RPSHWH 8%8 2IĂ€FLDO 6SRUWV 1LJKW 7KH %XQNHU SP DP MTB Musical: Cabaret, Bierkeller, 8pm - 11pm ThUrsday 11 Improv Workshop, AR11, Richmond Building, 6pm - 8pm Pantosoc: King Arthur and the Knights of Pantolot, Anson Rooms, 7:30pm - 10pm Friday 12 Ken Clarke Visit to Bristol, 3pm - 4pm, Priory Road lecture Theatre Pantosoc: King Arthur and the Knights of Pantolot, Anson Rooms, 7:30pm - 10pm saTUrday 13
FeatureD event This Christmas, join Pantosoc on an epic journey back to a land RI NQLJKWV PDJLF DQG PHGLHYDO SXE FUDZOV :KHQ D PDS WR Ă€QG the all-powerful Holy Grail is discovered, Arthur unwillingly becomes the leader of a ragtag band of knights, wizards, and someone who looks suspiciously like lady Guinevere wearing a false moustache... 7R Ă€QG WKH *UDLO DQG GHIHDW WKH HYLO 0RUJDQ OH )D\ WKH\ ZLOO KDYH to team up with the university jousting team, the buxom “ladyâ€? of The lake (the local brothel), and the mysterious red and white polka dotted Questing Beast. Will Arthur complete his quest to prove himself the one true King? Will true love conquer all? Will we ever discover the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? 7KHUH¡V RQO\ RQH ZD\ WR Ă€QG RXW ² MRLQ XV IRU D QLJKW RI PXVLF crossdressing, sweet throwing and innuendo laden fun. Book tickets at www.ubutheatre.com/kingarthur Performances from 11 Dec - 13 Dec
Tolkien Society Hobbit Screening and Christmas Meal, Showcase Cinema de lux Bristol, 4:25pm Pantosoc: King Arthur and the Knights of Pantolot, Anson Rooms, 2:30pm - 5pm Galenicals Christmas Carol Concert, St Paul's Clifton, 6pm Pantosoc: King Arthur and the Knights of Pantolot, Anson Rooms, 7:30pm - 10pm sUnday 14 Hill-arity Comedy night featuring Bristol Improv, The Hill, 8pm Monday 15 #BrizPubQuiz: The Inter-Society Pub Quiz, Anson Rooms, 7:30pm 10:30pm
Contact UBU University of Bristol Students’ Union Richmond Building 105 Queens Road Bristol BS8 1ln www.ubu.org.uk /BristolSU @UBUBristol
CULTURE
Illustration by Mounie Feddag
Epigram 08.12.2014
42 30
“
Flickr/Ma_o2013
splitting Mockingjay in two. No doubt the financial rewards are huge, but why settle for a good film when it could have been an outstanding one?
Jennifer Lawrence triumphs again, with another feisty yet raw performance
The success of The Hunger Games speaks for itself, as does the fantastic casting decisions; this film is definitely going to please fans but may not completely satisfy them. Fire is catching, but Mockingjay Part 1 is definitely just the spark for Part 2.
Flickr/Sahil Khan
Flickr/Ma_o2013
Just look at those eyes, he’s so adorable. I want to hug him as if he wasnt entirely CGI.
Flickr/Ma_o2013
the horrors of President Snow’s (Donald Sutherland) actions, with stark images of corpses and burning. Meanwhile, President Snow’s menacing presence is maintained through his use of Peeta as the Capitol’s voice, and his ongoing taunting aimed directly at Katniss - who knew white roses could be so threatening. The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale simply doesn’t generate the interest it does in the books; the lack of the games highlights this flaw even more. There is no Team Edward/ Team Jacob fascination, with the film not utilising the two male lead’s acting abilities and fails to fully depict their love for Katniss. The film overall is an entertaining and enjoyable watch, while the plot is limited it is atmospherically poignant. Its exploration of the power of the media and propaganda, by countering the authoritarian politics of the capital, is highly effective. However , you can’t help but feel that the franchise has served the audience an injustice by
Bow in hand, Jennifer Lawrence is on the hunt for the culprits responsible for the photo leak earlier this year...
Paddington Film & TV Writer Ben Lewis gives us the happy news that this is NOT another example of our childhood memories being defiled on the big screen. When Paddington aired its teaser trailer earlier this year, a lot of people of a certain age (myself included) probably felt a bit dubious. Indeed, when the film industry has to resort to treasured children programmes to bring something ‘new’ to the screen, who can blame the audience for being a little more critical than they normally would? The teaser involved Paddington familiarising himself with the facilities - or bathroom, as we call it. He inventively uses a toothbrush and then, somehow, manages to give the Brown family’s plumbing a thorough reworking. It all ends with a bit of surfing. It wasn’t quite the animation I remembered from childhood but it was delightful nonetheless. In fact, the full feature is the kind of movie Christmas needs at the moment. As the story is fleshed out, Paddington gets into more capers (most of which are seen in the trailer unfortunately) which hark back to the old movie days. It is nice to see the origins of Paddington before he arrived in London and how he came to meet the Brown family. The plot is split between Paddington trying to find a new home and a devious Nicole Kidman (in an unusual slapstick role) trying to capture Paddington. Paddington, voiced by Ben Whishaw, is
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adorable. He is naive, polite and always assumes the best of people. This resonates a lot with me as I am told frequently not to trust people, that it is a dog eat dog world out there and life is grim.
Paddington, voiced by Ben Whishaw, is adorable.
Paddington, although a movie, turns this around and this is the Christmas spirit that most, if not all, great Christmas movies try to promote. For all of its sentiments, Paddington makes up for it in laughs. For all of its tears, it makes up for in warmth. You would have to be scrooge not to like this movie. See this if you are looking for just one movie to put you into the Christmas spirit, to make you go awwww (‘isn’t that cute’ in bear language) and, if you are in the right mood, a good laugh. Merry Christmas Epigram readers.
Editors’ Christmas Picks
Our personal choices of festive classics to (re)watch this December
The Nightmare Before Christmas I would wager that it’s the beautiful stop motion animation and fantastic soundtrack that characterises many people’s memories of this 1993 gem - me included. More than this, though, it holds such an enduring grip on my festive cheer because it’s the first Christmas film I remember seeing, and certainly the one I’ve seen most over the years. This is thanks to regular – some would argue relentless – viewing of a very old VHS copy which lived at my grandparents’ house, which I have now myself inherited in spite of
not actually owning a VCR to play it with. It’s probably too worn out to run anyway. Anybody who knows me is aware of my unbridled love of the holiday, so perhaps it’s curious that one of my favourite Christmas films is actually mostly set in perpetual Halloween. I’d argue, however, that this only makes it more perfect, as it captures so wonderfully the contrast of December’s joyfulness against the other comparatively bleak 11 months of the calendar, so that each year I feel plunged deep into a heady advent of mulled everything and positivity, just as Jack Skellington felt when he first stumbles across Christmas Town and sings ‘What’s this? / The monsters are all missing / And the nightmares can’t be found / And in their place there seems to be / Good feeling all around’.
Flickr/ Andy Zeigert
Matthew Editor
The Muppet Christmas Carol Can anything not be made better by the addition of Muppets? Ostensibly, the answer is no, as is exhibited by their presence in what is surely the greatest out of many, many adaptations of Charles Dickens’ classic novel of seasonal repentance. Again, like The Nightmare Before Christmas this is a film which has stayed with me since my childhood and the days of videotapes, and there’s no question that a large part of what I love about Christmas, and by extension Christmas films, is that I have nothing but merry memories attached to everything about it and them. Sure, the songs might not be the best things ever - not least when Michael
Epigram 08.12.2014
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Caine is singing them – but apparently what Dickens’ mostly very miserable tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s epiphany needs to make it just the right shade of palatable is The Muppets’ unyielding joy. Out of nowhere as well comes Michael Caine delivering a performance it seems he was born for, playing Scrooge with complete seriousness in the face of a London of past, present and future populated by singing hand puppets. Wisely, Caine chooses not to rival the green felt frog for laughs and instead provides a superb counterbalance against the brilliant lunacy of The Great Gonzo narrating as Charles Dickens.
The Office Christmas Special
but demoralising manner in which it concluded. For this reason I am deeply grateful that Gervais in particular seems to have a penchant for using Christmas specials to wrap up his creations. If you’ve not seen them then first of all dear god they premiered 11 years ago. How have you possibly not, and second stop reading here for I’m about to go into specifics. Is there a more triumphant moment in television history than when David Brent finally tells Finch ‘Chris, why don’t you fuck off?’ Or a more satisfying one than when Dawn returns to the party and kisses Tim, prompting Gareth to sagely advise ‘Careful, she’s got a fiancé.’? No. No there are not.
As we all know the festive period is characterised by abundant goodwill, the gratuitous consumption of food/ drink and Christmas specials of all the TV shows you don’t watch but will be forced sit through anyway because a relative unequivocally demands it. Thankfully, this description does not apply to The Office’s Christmas Special, a television event so excellent that I could watch it, well, once a year. Though the two series of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s sitcom mockumentary constitute 12 of the greatest episodes of television ever, I for one would have been left wholly unfulfilled by the moving
The Grinch
Hannah Deputy Editor
In our house it isn’t Christmas until we’ve had a family viewing of the Grinch. Admittedly this was probably more acceptable when we were little, but it wouldn’t be a tradition if it wasn’t so great. The Grinch tells Dr. Seuss’ story of Whoville and a grumpy Christmas hating character that decides to steal Christmas. ‘The term Grinchy shall apply when Christmas spirit is in short supply,’ according to Dr Seuss himself, I hope this doesn’t apply to you. The Whos certainly know how to do Christmas, pretty sure everyone would kill for a machine that shoots out fairy lights. The Whos have the most elaborate hairstyles you’ll ever see, I probably spent the majority of my childhood trying to make my hair look like that, it would make the best fancy dress party theme ever. It will also blow your mind when you realise that Cindy Lou Who is Jenny from Gossip Girl (for real). If you haven’t seen it, this charming and quirky film is one you HAVE to see. Even if it’s just for some childhood nostalgia. You’ll probably be singing the closing song for about a week afterwards though, sorry.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Manvir Online Editor Die Hard
Home Alone This classic 90’s family Christmas film made Macaulay Culkin (as Kevin
McAllister) a Hollywood star, is the highest growing comedy film of all time and it rocks! The film is more than being about a boy left home alone, it is about the values of family, friendship and about growing up. Set in an incredibly massive house in the middle class suburbia of Chicago, this film has the capacity to pull on your heartstrings. Who can forget the timeless score by the brilliant John Williams? In particular the scene where Kevin befriends the elderly neighbor by giving him a friendship dove with the heartwarming score of ‘Somewhere in my memory’ blaring in the background, ok I will admit that I was close to shedding a tear watching it. Enjoy this Christmas with the film that will get you feeling a massive 90’s nostalgia.
Okay admittedly a very obvious choice. But there is a reason that this film is probably one of the most loved Christmas films in Britain. It couldn’t be more British. There’s also a reason you can most likely almost quote it word for word. It 100% is not Christmas until you’ve seen it. It makes us laugh, cry, and probably moan a little that we have to watch it again. Admittedly it’s not the best film ever, but it’s Love Actually. The scene with Hugh Grant dancing to Girls Aloud is one of my favourite ever, not sure whether I should be embarrassed or not about that. If you haven’t already had a house viewing of it, now is definitely the time...
knocked over by yellow taxis to having a fight with the ‘Fake Santa’. Just like Home Alone, the film has the typical Christmas holiday spirit as the entire of New York gathers together to sing ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’ to help Santa’s sleigh fly - sounds really lame but it actually is fun on screen. So laugh and relax this Christmas with Elf.
Elf Starring Will Ferrell as the loveable and funny Elf, Buddy who goes to New York in search of his father played by James Caan (aka Sonny Corleone from The Godfather). The film shows Buddy trying to get in touch with his family, all the while falling in love with Jovie, a store employee. The brilliance of the film is in Will Ferrell who makes everything hilarious. From being a master of snowball fights where he simultaneously hits 6 people in a row with 6 snowballs, to getting constantly
Flickr/Zooeyfan1
flickr/ Pineapples101
‘Twelve terrorists. One Cop. This is just how John McClane likes it’ runs the ad for Die Hard. Hell yeah, does John McClane like this, heck even I love this! The greatest action movie of all time also happens to be set at Christmas. Facing up against John McClain is Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), possibly the greatest ever duo in an action film ever seen. We have John McClane’s no nonsense attitude as he races to save hostages including his WIFE?! Despite McClane’s brilliance, Hans Gruber steals the film. He is without a doubt one of the best villains of all time. In classic Rickman style, he is a suave, intelligent (and at times quite scary) man who foils McClane at every point. Forget all the awful action films that are made today and settle in for a film that is sheer Hollywood entertainment. So sit back, open the drinks, grab the nachos and settle in for 132 minutes of action, drama, suspense and a touch of romance. Christmas is not the same without John McClane.
Flickr/itsaharleyyylife.com
This film to me is a classic. Yes it’s cheesy, yes it’s very American, but most importantly yes it is heartwarmingly festive. The film tells the story of a little girl who is old beyond her years, and has missed out on the magic of believing in Santa Clause (can you imagine). Cue a department store Santa, Kris Kringle, that believes he is the real deal, and gives her something to believe in. It’s a lovely watch all round. Richard Attenborough will always epitomise what the real Father Christmas looks like to me, I don’t think it’s possible for any one to top him playing Kris Kringle. He basically is Father Christmas. So if you’re in need of some Christmas spirit, or something to believe in, this is definitely the film for you.
Love Actually
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[an interview with]
Gorgon City: ‘We are a movement’ Evidently, Gorgon City are a hot topic with a very busy schedule. Waiting an hour more than expected, I clutch my mocha, shielding myself from the wintery front outside the O2 Academy. Their tour manager finally ushers me in an inconspicuous side entrance, where I’m shown through a labyrinth of hallways to their dressing room. Finding out that they travelled to Los Angeles the day after, I was certainly lucky to interview these in-demand musicians about their growing popularity and desired direction. After the friendly small-talk regarding good clubs in Bristol and university life, in an attempt to break the ice and get more conversational I ask them what their views on the well recognised and established Bristol music scene is. Matt offers the first response: Matt: I actually lived here for a few years a while ago, so used to do drum and bass and stuff years ago. Bristol’s an amazing place for music, and we get to play here quite a lot - love it! Kye: I’ve probably been coming here DJing for about 7 or 8 years, and there have been so many good places - used to play at The Tube that was cool - then Motion quite a few times, Lakota… M: There are so many good venues here, and the scene is really good, and people are just really up for it … you never really have a bad show in Bristol, even if it’s not full… it’s got a proper music scene. K: It’s kind of got a unique vibe that’s completely different to anywhere else. Bristol’s got its own kind of feel… M: An identity. I mention, tentatively so as not
to upset them, that in some of their earlier tracks, one could detect some Bristol influences - partially dark and intense. They both agree enthusiastically. K: Yeah definitely! Well, that’s kind of like our background… Drum and bass and jungle, and we’ve grown up with Bristol stuff like Ronisize, Massive Attack… As successful solo acts Foamo (Kye) and RackNRuin (Matt), it must have been difficult to abandon these names and commit themselves to Gorgon City fully. With both, it’s been over a year since a solo track has been released. Has this become their identity, or is it still a project between two artists? They both pause for a good four seconds, evidently musing. K: One of the main reasons why we came up with a new name for it is because it sounded completely different to our solo projects. So we felt it had its own identity. M: It’s also like, the fact that we’ve got a band now, it’s turned into this thing that isn’t even really… I mean obviously we make the music and everything, but in a way, it’s out of our hands… So many people are involved with it now, it feels like it’s kind of like a… K: Collective, almost. M: A collective of people, and so many features on the album, working with so many people… Now that we’ve got this live show, it kind of feels… it feels completely different to what we’d do in a solo project otherwise. K: Yeah, it’s a movement, man! The two erupt into laughter, and their enthusiasm is infectious. Gorgon City is evidently something they’re
very proud of. I suggest using that as an amusing headline for the article. Matt ponders this. M: ‘We are a movement’… Please don’t! With the involvement of all these new artists and being signed to big record labels Virgin and Black Butter, I imagine there being quite a lot of pressure. However, Matt and Kye seem pretty chilled, maintaining a low profile and remaining very down-to-earth (even releasing songs for free, on occasion). There is no detectable cockiness - perhaps their upcoming success hasn’t struck them yet. Do they work at their own pace, or are they controlled by who signs and manages them? Matt dodges my question initially, I imagine so as not to upset their relationship with Virgin. M: Um, it wasn’t that bad, to be honest. When we signed with Virgin, we’d already written quite a lot of the material, so… it wasn’t that much pressure really. I mean, at first I was like ‘shit, man, we’ve just signed a fucking big deal, we’ve got to make an album that’s really good’, but it happened quite nicely and quite naturally and sort of organically. Abandoning the record label discussion, the conversation moves to the positives of being signed. Not many people can say they DJ’d on an atlantic flight. When I mention this, Matt giggles in the background while Kye speaks. K: Yeah, that was mental… I was quite surprised how mental it actually was. I thought that, you know, for safety reasons, they’d keep everyone calm,
but it wasn’t like that at all! It was like being in some crazy house party! They were just giving away drinks for free, even air hostesses were raving. M: It felt like we were in a house party, yeah, everyone was banging on the windows, banging on the doors like ‘PHWOAR!’ K: Yeah, actually when we landed we noticed that a bit of the ceiling had been ripped down a bit, on a brand new plane! M: I know, I can’t believe they did that on a plane… They’re crazy man. Who did they write their songs for? Matt looks up, and Kye looks to the side, accompanied by slightly nervous laughs. K: That’s a good question. I think like, um, yeah sometimes just writing songs, I feel like you just have to do it. It’s almost an outlet of anything really - even frustration, or if you’re pissed off. As it seems like they use their music as an emotional outlet (perhaps explaining their very chilled personalities) I wonder whether their dark, instrumental music, tracks like ‘Thor’, ‘Athena’, and ‘The Truth’, can simply be attributed to a love of bass and rhythmic intensity. I ask them whether they’d hark back to anything like that. Both agreeing enthusiastically, they take the opportunity to plug their ideas for Gorgon City’s future. K: Especially when we’re not doing the live band, we’re always DJing, and we always love playing that kind of music… that’s what we mostly play in our DJ sets - so we still make tracks like even if it’s not for an album. I think the next step for us will be
setting up a record label for us to release these club tracks that wouldn’t get on an album. Because that’s what we’re all about really, bass heavy club music - that’s where we’ve come from. I mention their signature rimshot, and how this is a determining feature of their audial identity. It is a flourish that resonates particularly well with fans of electronic music in general. Incorporating it into house was an innovation no one had heard before. M: It’s funny because when we first started making tunes, we were like ‘let’s use that on our beats’. Funny that you recognised that, not many people have! K: Now that you mention it, we’ll probably do that in our next club tune. Feeling the pressure of their management when even they don’t, I end the interview on a casual note, thanking them for a stimulating conversation. Through their smiles and enthusiasm, one can tell that they certainly enjoy the invigoration of transitioning between live performances and production. They ask me eagerly if I’m going to be attending the show, which I of course was. They evidently care about fan opinion, striking a balance between pleasing labels and creating music that everyone loves. Excitingly, I can tell that we’re in for some loud, classically obscene club bangers in the future likely on a new label. Despite Matt and Kye’s reluctance to take the statement seriously, maybe Gorgon City, the duo, really encompasses everything quality dance music should be: a vocal extravaganza and compelling movement complete with personality. Tristan Davis, First year, History of Art
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08.12.2014
An Interview With: Phox Wisconsin’s very lovable trio chat to Caitlin Butler It really is a pleasure when one finds a band who not only makes lovely music, but are such a friendly group of people to boot. Such is the case with PHOX, a band solely made up of friends from a small town in Wisconsin. Although difficult to pin down in terms of their genre, the music PHOX make is light-hearted, airy and extremely pleasant to listen to. They describe themselves as somewhere between ‘Feist and Monty Python.’ It’s easy to see these influences in their music, which somehow bridges the gap between folk, pop and indie. It’s easy for a band like PHOX to be thrown in with disdain amongst the likes of Of Monsters and Men or The Lumineers, but PHOX have a charm and soul that is completely their own. Their music is less anthemic than the aforementioned bands, perhaps, but this works in their favour, as their music is thus more subtle and intelligent. Their live performance is definitely full to the brim with charm. In a poky room of the Louisiana, their lead singer Monica Martin makes the iconic space her own with a beautiful solo rendition of ‘Calico Man’. Martin has an easy relationship with her bandmates, which eventually translates to a similar one with the crowd. Although clearly nervous, she manages to pull it off, with her nerves transformed into witty dialogue that is not only funny, but very endearing. This is followed by ‘1986’ and ‘Kingfisher’, which are performed with lovely harmonies and can only be described as sweet. The highlight of the set, however, comes with the enormously catchy ‘Slow Motion’. Martin introduces it with the fact that it is a description of their ‘dull’ hometown of Baraboo, a small farming town. The song is far from boring, however, and its
catchiness is infectious. By the end, the whole crowd is enormously appreciative of not only the song, but of the whole band. The rest of the set is full of fun, and one cannot help but feel like you have just become the best of friends with PHOX. I not only felt this during the gig. I spoke to a couple of the band members in a comfortable corner of the Louisiana before the gig to get an idea of who PHOX really are. And comfortable is very much how I felt. One can definitely sense the easy vibe amongst these friends as they talk to each other and me.
as a double-edged sword. ‘The band know each other so well, they can communicate ideas on different levels,’ an obvious plus, but it’s hard to ‘tell someone that they’re singing out of tune.’ Jason Krunnfusz chips in here, pointing out it’s ‘difficult to draw the line between what is professional and what’s just hanging out with a bunch of buddies.’ This line must certainly get blurry? ‘Yes,’ says Holden, ‘but otherwise we would never have made music together. There are pros and cons but definitely more pros than cons.’ Interesting. So what of the band’s lead singer – what is it like for her to sing with friends, in a music industry that is dominated by men? Holden points out the huge impact on her confidence performing live has had. ‘Appearing on stage with a stable and compassionate group of people has transformed me from previously being unable to sing in front of people without my back turned, to being able to perform in front of 4,000 people’. Matteo Roberts, the keyboardist, believes Martin, and the band as a whole, have undergone huge personal growth. ‘We’ve gone
through this process as a band, which was always one of our goals, as well as making music – the whole idea was to become better people and challenge ourselves.’ And Monica herself – does she help the band? ‘She keeps us conscientious and thinking of other people,’ says Holden. She also cuts the band’s hair, apparently. According to Roberts, ‘she keeps us looking good!’
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‘What other job keeps you on call 24/7 for two years’ ... which leads us onto discussion of surgeons smoking weed and brain batteries.’
I begin with the obvious; what is it like working with friends you’ve known your whole life? PHOX went to high school together and shared a house, but Matt Holden, the band’s bass guitarist, describes this
‘Getting on stage is not about ego gratification, it’s about being part of a team.’
When it comes to touring, the band sit on the fence. Krunnfusz ‘feels tired of the road the minute I’m on the road. I almost instantly want to be at home, but when I’m at home, I want to be back on the road.’ Bit of a paradox there, but Holden believes touring has helped the band. ‘Touring is the best way to build confidence and synergy with each other.’ However, all three definitely feel it is wearying. ‘What other job keeps you on call 24/7 for two years?’ wonders Roberts, which leads us onto discussion of surgeons smoking weed and brain batteries. Apparently both
of these things can improve physical performance drastically. Learn something new every day I guess. After a lengthy debate of the pros and cons of hooking up a 9-volt battery to your brain, I eventually steer the conversation back to the music. Is it easier having six people in a band instead of four? Yes, says Krunnfusz. ‘If I mess up, but everyone else does okay, we’re still a grade higher. We can support each other playing live.’ It’s also not the standard four-person rock band formula, which is nice to see. ‘Getting on stage is not about ego gratification,’ says Holden, ‘it’s about being part of a team.’ I finish the interview with an issue that has caused a stir in the media recently. Would PHOX ever pull a Taylor Swift and withdraw their music from Spotify? The answer is irrefutably no. ‘Streaming is the best way to get our music out there,’ observes Roberts. ‘What’s more important – forcing someone to buy our album or just letting them share it and pass it on?’ Holden agrees. ‘We’re not going to beat streaming. For a small band, it doesn’t make sense. We don’t want to make a stand against the music industry, we just want to make people feel good and give them a good experience.’ Good ideals then, from PHOX. And after their show, you can’t help but feel you’ve witnessed a very genuine performance. Caitlin Butler, First year, English
flickr: wfuv
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Sun Kil Moon Benji Caldo Verde 11 February 2014 If 2014 has shown anything, it is the fact Mark Kozelek does not have any kind of PR manager. Or, if he does, that he should fire them. His bizarre dispute with The War on Drugs was unnecessary and awkward. However, at least we know he doesn’t hold anything back, which can only be taken as confirmation of Benji’s heartbreaking reality. Proof of his sincerity in singing about the terror of death.
Compiled by Jonny Hunter, Richard Assheton, Kate Howard, Will Merry, Caitlin Butler, Annie Slinn, Milo Keevil, Sam Healer and Ben Duncan Duggal
Damon Albarn Everyday Robots Parlophone 25 April 2014
Damon Albarn’s ‘Everyday Robots’, released in April, clinches the spot of album of the year for me. Part of this is due to the mix of introspective and optimistic acoustic. I also happen to approve of any song written about an elephant simply for the point of a song about an elephant (‘Mr Tembo’). As a longtime worshipper of all things Albarn, this album is chock full of win.
Albums
The War on Drugs Lost in the Dream Secretly Canadian 18 March 2014
Philadelphia’s classic rock heroes unleashed the most oddly jubilant and ultimately satisfying breakup record of the year. With songs lasting up to 9 minutes but leaving you wanting more, the glorious soundscapes make perfect chillout music, while taking the more attentive listener on a journey through heartbreak, alienation and self-discovery.
A Winged Victory for the Sullen Atomos Erased Tape Records 6 October 2014
of 2014
This came out in October on the electro-classical label Erased Tape Records, most famous for releases by Nils Frahm. You can hear that it is the soundtrack to a dance production; vast echoing strings and simple piano build tension and lend emotional weight. Its epic ambience continues to transfix me.
Coldplay Ghost Stories Parlophone 16 May 2014 With Ghost Stories, Coldplay finally returned to the brilliantly evocative sound of Parachutes . And so what if it’s not cool to like Coldplay? It’s pretty cool to listen to music which sounds great, with solid hooks, a pulsing rhythm and an understated, reflective tone.
Thom Yorke Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes Self-released 26 September 2014 Tomorrow Modern Boxes saw Thom Yorke hone his electronic craft while retaining his knack for haunting melodies and lyrical obscurity. From the throbbing synths of ‘A Brain In A Bottle’ to the bed of reverb that is ‘Nose Grows Some,’ this is an album that begs for repeated listenings and deserves them.
Jack White Lazaretto Third Man 10 June 2014
Wild Beasts Present Tense Domino 24 February 2014
‘Present Tense’ propels Wild Beasts into new musical waters, but still they retain their quintessential weirdness. Hayden Thorpe’s falsetto, as always, soars above moody guitars, but this time, they experiment a little more. Poignant melodies combined with killer lyrics make this their best album yet. Seductive, alluring and mysterious – Wild Beasts have surpassed themselves.
Nothing More Nothing More Eleven Seven Music 24 June 2014 If you have not heard them yet, you will do very soon. Sonically diverse, this progressive album has incisive lyrics and vocal loops akin to Reich. Frontman Jonny Hawkins (who, on tour, told me his appreciation of Bristol) belts out melodic choruses throughout this sublimely produced record.
Lazaretto is Jack White at his self-indulgent electrifying best. With neither the raw simplicity of the White Stripes, nor the radiofriendliness of the Raconteurs, his sophomore solo effort instead thrives as intelligent, cynical, highly instrumental blues rock.
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The Ting Tings @ Thekla - 24.11.14 ‘Shut-up and please let us go’... but only because that feedback from your guitar is destroying my eardrums - the music is fine telling us what her name really is in a version of the song that was more upbeat, and louder that left me with a smile on my face as I watched middle-aged men bob along contentedly. Loud cheers followed and chants of ‘Ting Tings’ from around half the crowd as White and De Martino remained off stage for an eerily long time. They eventually re-emerged to perform a new song ‘Green Poison’ which unfortunately was overshadowed by severe technical difficulties. Excruciating feedback from De Martino’s guitar delayed the song by about 5 minutes and my ears were left ringing for a good hour afterwards. White helpfully explained: ‘don’t blame us, it’s the tech guy’s fault,’ and then stood there awkwardly. Of course this is not White and De Martino’s fault but their handling of the situation was very unremarkable and the whole debacle seemed to throw them off their stride as they launched into a club track one could expect to hear in Bunker that was probably inspired by their time spent in Ibiza writing Super Critical. Everyone was left a bit bemused as White and De Martino stood behind the decks twisting little buttons and waving their arms and I left asking myself ‘was that actually The Ting Tings at the end?’ However, like most people in the crowd, I’d had a jolly good time.
Tantillus flickr: flickr: Lee Gywn
The Ting Tings are back. Out promoting their new album Super Critical they played to a seemingly nervous, very mixed crowd at Thekla and received a mixed reception despite their admirable energy and catchy songs. 100% Snapback and 50% sunglasses the pop duo Katie White and Jules De Martino formed in 2007 in Manchester but have been basically silent for two years after their massive hits ‘That’s Not My Name’ and ‘Shut up and Let Me Go.’ Those were the only two songs I knew when I arrived (yes that’s right, this music editor does his research in abundance) so I maintained an open mind and tried to figure out whether they were worthy of a status greater than ‘two-hit wonder’. They played a mixture of songs from their first two albums with a highlight being ‘Fruit Machine’ from We Started Nothing which is different from their usual musical output with more bass as opposed to high-pitched guitar-riffs. The rest of the set was a splurge of their most well-known tracks with little or no crowd interaction from White or De Martino aside from occasionally gesturing at us to clap and the odd shout of ‘jump!’ to which the drunk, male students on the front row duly obliged with unbelievable enthusiasm reaching out to touch a reluctant White as she bounced around stage, massive hair flying everywhere. The short, 40-minute set climaxed with White
Guy Barlow, Second year, Music
Pulled Apart by Horses @ The Fleece Matthew Floyd saw Leeds’ - 27.11.14 rising stars in action Pulled Apart By Horses are Leeds’ favourite alt-rock sons, born in 2008 after each of the foursome’s former bands fell apart. Quickly developing a unique and furious sound, they’ve continually built up a devoted following through relentless touring showcasing their manic live energy in bars and pubs across Britain. Their talent did not go unnoticed and soon they were found in larger venues supporting the likes of Biffy Clyro, Glassjaw and Foals, though their constantly rising position on the Reading & Leeds Festival line up is the best measure of their growth, having started on the BBC Introducing Stage in 2008 and storming the Main Stage in 2014. Upon entering the venue what was immediately striking was the demographic of those in attendance, with roughly a 2:1 ratio of male to female and - more unexpectedly – the same proportion of those over 30 as opposed to under. One could argue this as a seal of approval for PABH’s abrasive, tasty rock, as when they’re pulling in the same geezers who exist wistfully nostalgic for the days of seeing Sex Pistols in toilet venues in days gone by, they must be doing something right. PABH took to the stage all looking the part with their long hair and tattoos, launching into recent single ‘Hot Squash’ which also opens – and for my money is the best track on - their newest album Blood. Quite simply they sounded fantastic, due in part to their three albums capturing so successfully their thrilling live energy, but mainly because they are simply so good at what they do. Every tune was hammered
in with a nail and a snarl by frontman Thomas Hudsons, meanwhile guitarist James Browns danced his way through riffs by throwing hips left, right and centre. Letting the music speak for itself, little attention was given to inter-song chat with the exception of Hudsons early on being presented with ‘a carrot… from Leeds’ by a crowd-member. No questions were asked. Interestingly, though the crowd were visibly never less than enjoying themselves it was curious to see that tracks of Blood were getting a noticeably less enthusiastic response than those from their debut self-titled Tough Love. Case in point was that it wasn’t until ‘V.E.N.O.M.’ –Tough Love’s blistering opener that the crowd really started moving. This could be due to the new album having had less time to become fan favourites, or because it places greater emphasis on song formula rather than the more exciting spontaneity of previous records, but whatever the explanation the contrast in reception stood out in a set drawn most prominently from Blood. As such, the highlights of the gig were the main set closer ‘High Five’ and ‘I Punched a Lion in the Throat’, which capped off the twosong encore after ‘Yeah Buddy’. In spite of the varying levels of passion for certain material, at the end of the gig a Fleece full of fans both old and young emerged into the chilly winter night, unanimously content to have witnessed a truly special live band in PABH. Matthew Floyd, History, Third year
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Epigram
08.12.2014
Science & Tech
Editor: Ben Parr scienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
@EpigramSciTech Deputy Editor: Alfie Smith deputyscienceandtech@epigram.org.uk
Online Editor: James Oliver scienceonline@epigram.org.uk
Bird flu: is our Christmas dinner safe? Bird flu has been identified in the UK for the first time since 2008. What is known as the H5N8 strain of the virus was recently found in ducks, on a farm in East Yorkshire. The farm, where 6000 ducks have just been culled, supplies Cherry Valley, the UK’s leading duck producer. A 3km protection zone around the farm has been formed to ensure the disinfection of people and livestock, as well as to control their movements. A 10km surveillance zone has also been set up to monitor poultry in surrounding farms. There are also a number of turkey farms in the East Yorkshire area and there is growing concern that the virus could infect Christmas turkeys, the poultry
of 150, 000 hens and 8000 ducks. The virus was also discovered at a poultry farm in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, in Eastern Germany, where 5000 birds were found to be infected with the disease. The virus was also confirmed in this area after being found in a wild
“
bird, suggesting that it is being spread through Western Europe by migrating wild birds. German authorities have now instructed farmers to keep their poultry enclosed, so that they cannot come into contact with these potentially infected birds.
Although the H5N8 strain of bird flu is highly contagious in birds, it has never been found to affect humans. Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that this outbreak will have any effect on human health. However, the virus does have the potential to
mutate to new strains that can affect humans, such as the deadly H5N1 strain that first infected humans in Hong Kong in 1997. Mutations in viruses occur randomly and result from a change in the virus’s genetic information. Currently, bird flu cannot be transmitted from human to human; it can only be contracted from birds. However, scientists predict that if the virus mutated to become contractible between humans, the disease would pose a much greater threat. Interestingly, the virus that led to 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, which infected 500 million people worldwide, originated in birds, and has been found to be genetically very similar to the bird flu virus.
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Rachel Baxter Science Writer
precautions are being
taken to prevent the
It is being spread
spread
through Western Europe
Flickr: docoverachiever
“
species most susceptible to avian flu. The origin of the outbreak is thought to be linked to recent cases of bird flu in both Germany and the Netherlands, where the H5N8 strain has also been identified. In Utrecht in the Netherlands, the virus was found at three different farms within the space of a week, leading to the cull
However, despite the potential dangers of bird flu, it is extremely unlikely that the H5N8 strain found in Yorkshire will mutate and impact human health, so there is no call for panic. All necessary precautions are being taken to prevent the spread of the virus to other birds in the UK, so a countrywide epidemic is extremely unlikely. As far as turkeys are concerned, the likelihood of a significant turkey infection is minute, so festive shoppers need not fear!
Gay gene shows no choice in sexuality Rozie Benyon Science Writer Up to this day the hotly debated ‘nature vs nurture’ argument continues, but the latest study into male sexual orientation could finally give us an answer. The study, involving 409 pairs of gay brothers, indicates that being gay is directly linked to two regions of the human genome.
orientation has been studied in detail
Since the early 90s scientists have been searching for a biological link to sexual orientation. The first notable study into male sexuality and a possible genetic link was published in 1993, by Dean Hammer, in which 114 families of homosexual males were studied, determining that there was an increased likelihood that a homosexual man would have homosexual uncles or cousins. Since then, the biology of sexual orientation has been studied in detail, largely due to its controversial nature.
been researching, and he has recently announced that he is just making the finishing touches to his results before publication.
what matters is the
fair treatment of LGBT individuals
However, Sanders is quick to stress that something as complex as sexuality is never as simple as a change in a few genes. Fundamentally, his study demonstrates that sexuality has a strong genetic link, but he is sure it is also dictated by environmental factors. Despite this, Sanders announced that his findings ‘erode the notion that sexual orientation is a choice’, a statement which many would think would be celebrated by the LGBT community. Many LGBT activists are unlikely to praise the findings, however, with a seemingly endless number of papers and articles about ‘gay genes’ being published. This is the point they make: the origins of homosexuality are irrelevant, what matters is the fair treatment of LGBT individuals across the globe, and this is something that still demands attention.
Flickr: : jimloter
“ the biology of sexual
The strongest evidence to date arose last week as a study by Alan Sanders, of the Northshore Research Institute, indicated that two areas of the chromosome were directly linked to male sexuality. The first area, known as Xq28, which is located on the X chromosome has long been known about, and appeared first in Hammer’s study. The other, found on chromosome 8 and known as 8q12, was first discovered in 2005. However, previous studies of Xq28 and 8q12 have given mixed results, and it isn’t until today that a statistical significance has been shown. 818 men took part in the study, with the only trait shared by all of them being their homosexuality. Sanders and his team studied areas of their genomes known to be linked to sexual orientation. From this, they found differences in genetic markers known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, and analysed the extent of differences in these markers in gay and straight men. The areas of interest of the genome may have been discovered, but Sanders study is just the tip of the iceberg. These areas being studied are huge sections of a chromosome, and the individual genes contributing to sexuality are still to be narrowed down on. This is exactly what Sanders has
Epigram 08.12.2014
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The deep web: privacy or criminality? Bethany Rielly Science Writer
deprived. However, the deep Web does not provide as much anonymity as its users might like. Many governments and intelligence agencies have special units with the sole purpose of monitoring activity in the deep Web. The Silk Road was taken down this week for the second time since its launch in 2011. The site operators claim that they willl have it back up within weeks.
“
A part of me is reassured
that all corners of the web are monitored.
Although I know it should be my right to browse in private and the idea of strangers accessing my information is far from comforting, a part of me is reassured that all corners of the web are monitored. If the by-product of intelligence agencies identifying and persecuting members of paedophile rings and perpetrators of radical ideologies, is the intrusion of my privacy, then I’m not totally adverse to online surveillance. I can appreciate that there are many benefits to being anonymous online. I value security more than privacy and there are genuine threats to both our personal and national security hiding in the deep web. When it comes down to it, I fear the criminals the deep web protects more than the government systems quietly recording my data history.
Flickr: yuri yu samoilov
Traditional search engines only allow you to access a miniscule fraction (0.03%) of the total information available on the internet. The rest lies in the expansive depths of the notorious deep Web. The majority of this information is innocuous and unintentionally entered into the deep web because they aren’t indexed to any search engine. Unlike the surface web (the internet you use day to day), your activity within the deep Web is anonymous, allowing you to purchase goods, share information and roam freely without surveillance. Which leads one to question, is this animosity a good thing? We’ve reached an age where aspects of George Orwell’s 1984 are no longer the fabrications of a distant dystopian future but today’s reality. Our physical beings are constantly filmed by CCTV. We emit a steady stream of data about our browsing habits, our credit card expenses, our emails and our phone calls. Where and with whom this data ends up is still an open question. It could be argued that the anonymity provided by the deep web is a return to our basic right of privacy, allowing us to live at least a portion of our lives in private. Not only does the deep web provide a domain in which you can exercise your right to privacy, it also allows us to express our ideas and knowledge to anyone we wish. This
seems trivial to the Western ear, with our guaranteed rights of expression, but it is a lifeline to those trapped in oppressive regimes. Through the deep web, dissidents living in China are able to access censored information without being prosecuted. Journalists can also use this anonymous space to contact whistle blowers away from the ever watching eye of government surveillance. It was through the deep web that Edward Snowden contacted Guardian contributor Glenn Greenwald Of course, an anonymous space is unlikely to solely attract people with good intentions. Criminals thrive in the deep Web with activities ranging from expansive drug and weapon markets to human trafficking. Many people our age will have heard of, or even purchased goods from Silk Road, the ultimate online illegal supermarket which allows you to purchase any drug in existence. The anonymity of the site for both the seller and the buyer has created a booming underground business for drug lords and independent dealers alike. However, researchers from the University of Manchester published a paper stating that the deep Web may actually provide a safer place to buy drugs than on the street. This is because each drug on the Silk Road is reviewed and rated by buyers, allowing subsequent buyers to make informed decisions on which vendors are trustworthy and which vendors to avoid. The deep web clearly offers significant benefits to the privacy
We’re losing the fight against climate change Rozie Benyon Science Writer
firms to reduce industrial emissions. Households saw the largest drop in emissions, showing a clear, if modest, response to campaigns. While the consumption of energy by households is the largest polluter, if we look at the emissions per person compared to
The US, the UK and the majority of signatories of the Kyoto Protocol have failed to keep to their targets.
many world leaders pledged to do at this years UN Climate Summit. It’s fantastic that world leaders are talking about what needs to be implemented to prevent further damage, but what the Earth really needs is action. More money needs to be invested in sourcing clean energy and more pressure put on individuals to take responsibility for the Earth’s climate before we can even consider stopping global warming. We have a poor record when it comes to actually reducing carbon emissions. The US, the UK and the majority of signatories of the Kyoto Protocol have
per firm then we see a different picture. Inudsty is lagging behind. Regulation that limits the number of parts per million of carbon and methane that can be released during proudction, per year, has existed for some time. Yet, we are still falling short of national and global targets. This must mean that the regulation is either insufficient to cause the required reductions or not being enforced properly. Further regulation, not opt-in shemes, is needed to reach the targets our goverment has comitted to. David Cameron, soon after moving into number 10, promised that his would be ‘the greenest government ever’. It’s time to back those words up with action. It was over half a century ago, in 1957, that scientists Roger Revelle and Hans Suess first warned that fossil fuel emissions would cause the Earth to warm. So, why are we still using them? The reality is fossil fuels are handy, and without any drastic evidence of global warming individuals are likely to turn a blind eye to the damage they cause. The move away from fossil fuels is equivalent to a fundamental rebuilding of the postindustrial world. Every country has to restructure their economy. It will be a slow and painful process. Change must come from above and below. From national policy and individual effort. We shouldn’t be put down by the failure of our leaders. Every little really does help, so next time you leave a room, remember to switch off the lights. Flickr: Klem@s
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failed to keep to their targets. UK greenhouse gas emissions fell by only 1.9 per cent last year, far short of the targets enshrined into law by the 2008 Climate change act. This is despite millions having been spent attempting to coerce
Flickr: kLEM@S
Our world is warming at an alarming rate and it may be too late to stop it. At least that’s what many leading scientists in the field are concluding. Global warming is exactly what it says on the tin, the warming of the planet over a long duration, due to increases in greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, in the Earth’s atmosphere. At the rate we’re polluting, temperatures are expected to rise by over 5 degrees by the end of the century. The warming of our planet is primarily a product of our planet’s dependence on fossil fuels. Over 85 per cent of the UK’s energy is currently sourced from fossil fuels. This problem must be addressed before we have any hope of reducing our country’s carbon contribution. Far from growing, new investment in renewable energy fell during 20122013. While many countries are in a similar positon, a few offer a glimmer of hope with much of their energy being both clean and renewable. Take Iceland for example. Iceland sources over 85 per cent of energy from renewable sources, and is looking to bump this figure up to 100 per cent. So why does this figure outshine those for the UK so massively? Well, Iceland harnesses the huge tectonic activity beneath it to produce geothermal energy, as well as investing in hydropower and
solar power, and building extensive wind farms. Unfortunately, Iceland is the exception not the norm, with the majority of countries preferring the ease and accessibility of fossil fuels. Due to the lag between increases in greenhouse gas levels and tempature, some of the damage that will have been done to the planet can not be stopped. We should expect more floodings and more droughts. However, it’s thought that if we can cut carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2050, then there might be some hope. This is what
Epigram 08.12.2014
52
Science and arts rely upon each other
After the controversy surrounding reports on how tuition fees are spent, Steven Scorer discusses the importance of recognising how similar the sciences and the arts really are Some science students may have had a particularly ‘sensitive’ fortnight with their non-science friends, in light of last issue’s front page. Comparative news stories between science and non-science subjects, whether about expenditure, skill sets, or anything else, seems to me to simply provide an extension of the popular notion that positions scientists and non-scientists as operating in separate cultural spheres and worldviews, without any kind of overlap. I believe that though this has
upon each other
some merit - see Romanticism vs. Realism - it wilfully ignores the many occasions where the two use and rely upon each other to provide society with the information, thoughts and ideas that we need to advance. Both aim to further our understanding, and improve society, and together form our collective attempt to solve common problems facing us – the differences are to do with method. Notable scientist, Edward Wilson, once said: ‘The greatest enterprise of the mind has always been and always will be the attempted linkage of the sciences and humanities. The ongoing fragmentation of knowledge and resulting chaos in philosophy are not reflections of the real world but artefacts of scholarship.’ Considering the mix of staff and
“ barriers between
different skill sets required. Littered throughout the Smithsonian study are examples that aim to disprove just that, but a personal favourite is: ‘The same kind of imagination that allowed Michelangelo to produce the crowning achievement of his era helped NASA’s engineers build their moon ships’ - Anne Goodyear, Curator.
Both aim to further
our understanding and improve society
Evidently, engineering is a perfect example for arguing the case of creativity in science: in the recent Mountbatten lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John O’Reilly argued that ‘there is nothing as creative as engineering.’ Such crossovers between ‘scientific’ and ‘non-scientific’ skill-sets are plentiful of course. Here’s my attempt at listing the main ones:
Flickr: Celeste
“ the two use and rely
“
Steven Scorer Science Writer
Art Architecture, visual communication of Science, Materials conservation Economics Eco-friendly products, Psychology & Behaviour, Valuing of nature
subjects can start to
appear slightly arbitrary
Written communication of Science Philosophy & other humanities ‘Bioethics’ e.g. Animal testing, Euthanasia, Robotics Politics & Sociology Policy – there’s a scientific advisor in every government department. Flickr: uu
students that our university has, the barriers between subjects can start to appear slightly arbitrary, especially when ideas mix outside of lectures. Everyone’s had those kinds of conversations with students of other subjects, where they’ve learned and taught with equal measure; that’s surely what university is all about? Recently, a study carried out by the Smithsonian museum in Washington DC echoed that, declaring that universities and other higher education institutions are the best place for inter-disciplinary work. Under the current system, the separation of science and non-science by organisational structure is the norm at university, and this reinforces the view that it must be the same in the ‘real world’ due to the radically
English
Sport
Epigram 08.12.2014
That was the year, that was
James O’Hara and Marcus Price Sport Features Writers
JANUARY The sporting year got off to a roaring start in January. First came the World Darts Championship. Stephen Bunting took the men’s title, Lisa Ashton the women’s. In Snooker, Ronnie O’Sullivan’s two-year reign as World Snooker Champion came to an end, losing the final to young pretender Mark Selby. Meanwhile, the tennis world was shocked by the triumph of a Swiss man who wasn’t Roger Federer. Stanislas Wawrinka won his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open, beating World Number One Rafael Nadal. In doing so, he became the first Grand Slam victor outside the so-called ‘Big Four’ of Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic since Juan Martin Del Potro in 2009. Li Na won the women’s title, before announcing her shock retirement in September at just 32 due to injury.
MARCH March’s Winter Paralympic Games, also won by Russia, was a similar sporting success to the Winter Olympics. Britain’s Paralympic Skier and guide Charlotte Evans excelled, their reward not only a gold medal but a joint nomination for BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The European motorsport season also began. The inaugural Australian Grand Prix in Formula One was won by Nico Rosberg, taking advantage of team-mate Lewis Hamilton’s reliability problems and his Mercedes’ blatant superior performance to take the victory. In Moto GP, Marc Marquez won the curtain-raiser at the Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix in his Honda, beating Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa to take the chequered flag.
JUNE The arrival of summer saw the Tennis season restart. Nadal won his record ninth French Open, while Maria Sharapova won the fifth Grand Slam of her career in the women’s competition. At Wimbledon it was a repeat of the 2011 winners, Novak Djokovic winning the men’s category and Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic the women’s. Andy Murray, meanwhile, defended his title in disappointing fashion, crashing out in the quarter finals. June also saw the start of perhaps the flagship sporting event of the entire year. The return of the World Cup to Latin American shores proved to be an excellent decision, Brazil grinding to a halt for just over a month as its national religion returned after a 64-year absence. Praised by many commentators as the best World Cup ever, the tournament got off to a pulsating start as holders Spain were humbled and humiliated, destroyed 5-1 by a resurgent Holland team under the tutelage of Louis Van Gaal. The tournament also featured stunning goals, Tim Cahill and James Rodriguez hitting the net in spectacular fashion. JULY One of the most eagerly anticipated events of the sporting calendar, the FIFA World Cup, once again didn’t fail to disappoint… the England fans that is, who once again united under the belief that this was going to be ‘their year’, were treated to two goals and one point. July brought with it the latter stages of the tournament, kicking off with the quarter-finals; the only major surprise coming from the Netherlands who shocked Group D winners and potential favourites Costa Rica to win on penalties. The semi-finals saw one of the greatest World Cup upsets in its glorious 84-year history as Germany annihilated host nation Brazil 7-1 in front of a packed crowd in the Estadio Mineirao. Five days later, Joachim Löw’s side were crowned world champions for the fourth time after a 1-0 win over Argentina. Elsewhere, Rory McIlroy won his third major Flickr: toksuede
APRIL In a quiet sporting month, April’s highlight was perhaps the Masters at Augusta. Bubba Watson joined the golfing elite, winning his second Green Jacket in three years to take the first Golf Major of the year. In Horse Racing, Pineau de Re became only the sixth French-
MAY Mark Selby continued his excellent form to win the World Snooker championship, while China maintained their preeminence by winning the World team Table Tennis Championship. In Cycling, the Giro d’Italia kicked off the grand tour season of cycling, Colombia’s Nairo Quintana winning for the Movistar Team. May also saw the end of club football and rugby union seasons. In Rugby, Toulon defended the Heineken Cup to emphasise the superiority of French Club Rugby, also winning the Top 14 league in France. In England, Northampton Saints were the team in the ascendancy, winning the lesser continental cup, the European Challenge Cup, while also picking up the Aviva Premiership title. In football, the domestic season came to a thrilling climax. Manchester City won the Premier League for the second time in three years, beating Liverpool to the title by just two points after it had appeared that Liverpool would mark the 25-year anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster to end their agonising wait for the title. In continental football, the falling standard of the Premier League and the rise of Spain’s La Liga was all too evident. Real Madrid, inspired by Cristiano Ronaldo, overcame their demons to claim their much-eluded ‘La Decima’ - in so doing becoming the first club in history to win the Champions League ten times. A Spanish team also won the Europa League, the ugly brother of the Champions League, Sevilla claiming their third title in ten years. Flickr: jaumebusquet
Flickr: Davey Doyle
FEBRUARY February saw the International Rugby Union season start off with a bang. The Six Nations, running across February and March, yet again delivered a pulsating tournament. Ireland were the eventual winners, although the Grand Slam eluded them after a narrow 13-10 defeat to England at Twickenham. Italy received the wooden spoon after losing all 5 games, although there were signs that the Azzurri are no longer the whipping boys of the competition, narrowly losing to defending champions Wales and by just one point to Scotland. There was, however, a cloud to Ireland’s silver lining. The legendary Brian O’Driscoll retired from international rugby. O’Driscoll is the highest capped and highest try-scoring player in Ireland’s rugby history, while he has left a global legacy too, as the world’s highest scoring centre of all time and the eighthhighest try scorer ever. In a more contentious episode, Russia delivered history’s most expensive Olympic Games, the 2014 Winter Olympics at the BlackSea resort of Sochi. Aside from its astronomical cost, setting the Russian Government back an incredible US $51 billion, and the unsuitable climate of the rather southerly seaside resort, the runup to the games was shrouded in controversy. Widely seen as the brainchild of Vladimir Putin, the awarding of the games to Russia had been much criticised. Many commentators had seen the games as an international legitimisation of Putin’s quasi-democratic regime and his country’s poor human rights records. The UK government and the German President were among many to boycott the event. The actual games were largely considered a success, passing without any major security incidents, an eventuality many had feared due to the proximity of Sochi to the highly volatile Chechnya region. Russia itself won the most gold medals and medals in total, and despite five doping incidents (four more than at the 2010 Winter Olympics at Vancouver, Canada) many commentators judged the games to have been a sporting success. From games played on ice to cars raced on rubber, February also contained NASCAR’s most prestigious event, the Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt Jr., powered by Hendrick Motorsports, was the victor.
bred horse to win the Grand National, trained by Richard Newland and jockeyed by Leighton Aspell. The London Marathon was won by Wilson Kipsang in the men’s category and Edna Kiplagat in the women’s, Kenya again proving their dominance at longdistance running, while the 2014 Boston marathon thankfully went without incident after the tragic bombings in 2013.
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title with victory in the 2014 Open Championship, becoming the first European to win three different majors. Going head to head against McIlroy in the race for SPOTY 2014, Lewis Hamilton won his fifth race of the season in front of a home crowd at Silverstone. AUGUST Forget Christmas, forget New Year, August is every true football fan’s favourite time of the year. The return of domestic football is incomparable. The Premier League opened steadily with Swansea winning 2-1 against a Manchester United side struggling with the loss of Sir Alex Ferguson and reigning champions Manchester City beating Newcastle 2-0 to take the provisional top spot. As the month went on, Chelsea quickly emerged as the team to beat, securing a crazy 6-3 win over Everton. In tennis, Marin Cilic won his first ever grand slam title, beating Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the US Open, while Serena Williams won her 18th with victory over Caroline Wozniacki. Just three weeks after winning the Open Championship, McIlroy added another major title to his name after winning the PGA Championship for the second time in his career. SEPTEMBER With ‘The Magic of Medinah’ still ringing in the ears of the golfing world, Tom Watson and his compatriots travelled to the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland hoping to avenge the outrageous come-back of Josė Maria Olazábal’s men just two years previously. However, led by captain Paul McGinley, the Europeans did not have to rely on the dramas of the preceding Ryder Cup as they won the competition for the third consecutive time, Jamie Donaldson providing the winning shot in a comfortable 16 ½ to 11 ½ victory. In the Premier League, newly-promoted Leicester City produced an upset by coming from 3-1 down against 13-time champions Manchester United to win 5-3. Furthermore, there was a nationwide drop in academic performances from students at schools and universities alike following the release of FIFA ‘15. One you might have missed: Watched by over 82,000 people in Croke Park, Dublin, the 2014 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final between Kilkenny and Tipperary finished in a draw in what many have described as the greatest hurling match in history. With the scores level in injury time, John O’Dwyer of Tipperary had a free from 97 metres out to seal it but, as hawk-eye confirmed, he hit it just wide to the right. This proved to be costly as Kilkenny won the replay three weeks later. OCTOBER With the exponential growth in popularity of American football on our side of the Atlantic, it comes as no surprise that the NFL match between the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions was played in front of a sell-out crowd at Wembley. Atlanta raced to a dominant 21-0 half-time lead with quarterback Matt Ryan throwing two touchdown passes to Devonta Freeman and the incredibly-named Bear Pascoe, while Steven Jackson ran in from one yard. However, Detroit replied with two touchdown passes from Matt Stafford and two field goals from Matt Prater to take the score to 22-20. After a missed two-point conversion to level the game, Stafford took his team up the pitch in the final 90 seconds to allow Prater to attempt a 43-yard field goal. Prater subsequently missed, but a five-yard penalty conceded by the Detroit offence allowed him a second chance which he took to give Detroit the win. Elsewhere, controversy was prevalent in the Super League Grand Final as Wigan prop, Ben Flower, was sent off in the second minute for punching a defenceless Lance Hohaia. Wigan went on to lose the game 14-6 to St Helens. NOVEMBER With the sporting abundance available on our screens during November, it appeared as if Santa himself had arrived early. With the World Cup just around the corner, the autumn internationals provided an indicator of England’s position amongst the world elite. With losses against South Africa and New Zealand and a meagre 28-9 victory over Samoa, it is clear that England are in need of improvement, especially if they hope to progress from a pool containing both Australia and Wales. In the Middle East, Hamilton secured his second world drivers’ championship with victory in Abu Dhabi, beating team-mate Rosberg who suffered with mechanical problems. Elsewhere, Djokovic won the ATP World Tour Finals after Federer withdrew from the final. Murray stepped in to play a pro set, losing 8-5 to the Serb. DECEMBER With the F1 season over and the autumn internationals coming to an end, our focus in December returns to the beautiful game. At the top of the table, Chelsea look to extend their unbeaten start while Aston Villa are hoping to break their winless run stretching back to September 13. In cricket, England continue their tour of Sri Lanka, looking for some momentum to take into next Spring’s World Cup.
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08.12.2014
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Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge! Olly Cotton Vice-President, Dodgeball Society
Feeling like you haven’t done enough this term? Want to be part of something fun and sporty? The Dodgeball Society is throwing a fancy dress Dodgeball Tournament
to raise money for RAG! Come and play dodgeball in whatever costume
takes your pick and take part in the increasingly popular and addictive sport! What’s more, there’s a tonne of prizes that we’re giving away. Dozens of restaurant meals, free salsa classes, two for one entry to Jungle Rumble mini golf to name a few… All of which have been kindly donated by our sponsors. This is your chance to play dodgeball in a university-wide tournament and
compete for the prizes offered by our generous sponsors. It is always an incredible day with
teams in previous years dressed as Avatars, Pirates, Spartans, Avengers and even cross dressers! There will be prizes for the first, second and third placed teams, and some special prizes for individuals and teams which embrace the spirit of the tournament e.g. the best dodger, the best-dressed team and so on. This tournament is open to everyone and in the past up to half of our tournament participants were not members of the society, nor had played before, and came for the thrill and fun of the day. Cost is low at only £4 per person. This covers the hall hire and all the organisational work involved with this event. All of the profit raised goes directly to RAG who have partnered with great organisations and causes such as The Bristol Drugs Projects and St Peter’s Hospice. Teams of six players are required to enter and you can enter up to a maximum of eight per team (and sub players in and out if you would like). Forming a team can be done in several ways. You can come to our regular sessions, every Saturday 13:30-14:30, where we’ll be grouping together likeminded players who haven’t got a team yet (this is the easiest way). Our sessions are held every Saturday at Cotham School, Cotham Lawn Road, BS6 6DT. The other way many people enter is by forming a group with friends from
halls, societies, sport clubs etc.
Salsa with Alain Hernandez at the Canteen (Stokes Croft).
Email: mn1116@bristol.ac.uk stating your team name and your team members (this can be edited by email if required later). Date: Sunday 14th December Time: 10:00-18:00 Address: Clifton College Sports centre Guthrie Road Clifton Bristol BS8 3EZ A kind thank you to all of our sponsors: Fishers Restaurant (Clifton Village), House of Flowers (Redland), Pizza Provencale (Clifton village), Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf (Cabot circus), Frankie & Benny’s, and Cuban
PRIZE LIST: x6 Three course set lunch or early dining meals at Fishers Restaurant x6 Meals at Pizza Provencale x3 Chicken share platter with sides at Nando’s x5 two for one vouchers for Jungle Rumble crazy golf x6 Student friendly low maintenance desk study plants x6 Free sessions for Cuban Salsa x2 Bottles of wine (red and white) x1 Christmas CD
League and Cup success for #MightyMaroon Edward Henderson-Howat Online Sport Editor
Bristol have acquitted themselves well over the past three weeks in league and cup action. Men’s lacrosse and hockey earned much needed wins on December 3rd and water polo have continued their unbeaten run. Women’s badminton enjoyed victory over Cardiff Met. on the 19th and despite their loss to Bath on the 3rd, they are still in the running for the title. The men’s badminton side also enjoyed home advantage in their 5-3 win against Cardiff on the 19th, but they suffered an away loss to Southampton on the 26th and defeat to Imperial on the 3rd. Men’s basketball were beaten 65-54 by Surrey, and women’s football also suffered as they came up short in a 2-3 loss to Southampton Solent on the 19th and were beaten 2-1 by Cardiff Met. on the 3rd. The men’s football side were
also beaten 2-0 by Cardiff Met. on the 19th and lost 2-1 to Bournemouth at the start of December. The ladies’ hockey team stormed to a trio of victories against Cardiff (4-2), Oxford (3-1) and Oxford Brookes (4-1). The tough season continued for men’s hockey who were beaten on the 19th and 26th but they came back on the 3rd to beat Oxford Brookes 2-1 in huge game. Similarly, men’s lacrosse struggled against Oxford in a 5-17 defeat on the 26th but bounced back with a 14-1 win over Portsmouth on the 3rd. The ladies’ lacrosse team suffered a 6-12 loss on the 19th to Cambridge but stormed home with a crushing 22-1 win on the 26th against Southampton and a 5-2 victory over Oxford on the 3rd. Women’s netball tripped up against Southampton on the 3rd but were in fine form throughout November as they beat Cardiff Met 54-39 on the 19th and then won their first cup match of
the year on the 26th. Rugby League were beaten 1034 by Swansea and the men’s rugby union side suffered yet another defeat this season with a 10-33 loss to Exeter on the 26th. In contrast, women’s rugby continued their dominant form with a 60-0 victory over Plymouth on the 19th before they pulled out a majestic 106-0 win over Portsmouth in the first round of the cup. They were narrowly beaten by Cardiff Met. on the 3rd but this shouldn’t sour a term of success. Men’s squash suffered back to back defeats against Southampton and Bath, but the women’s squash team did well over the weekend of 29th30th November with victories against Manchester, Northumbria and King’s. Ladies’ tennis enjoyed a strong win over Cambridge on the 19th, but couldn’t match this performance when they lost to Cardiff Met. on the 26th and drew with Bath a week later.
Meanwhile, the men’s tennis team were beaten three weeks in a row by Bath, Kent and Bournemouth. The women’s volleyball team have dominated their opponents this season and they kept up their strong form with away wins over Cardiff, Surrey and Bath whilst men’s volleyball also enjoyed victory when they beat the University of South Wales on the 26th. Men’s water polo continue their record unbeaten streak with another win over Cardiff, and the ladies’ water
polo did the Oxbridge double, beating Oxford on the 21st and Cambridge on the 29th. Finally, after doing so well in their first two matches of the season, Bristol Barracuda American Football team lost to Cardiff 21-28. With Christmas almost upon us, there is one round of BUCS fixtures left this term. Don’t forget to follow Epigram Sport’s website and Twitter feed for live updates and match reports.
Latest Results 3rd Dec. Men’s Badminton Bristol 3 - 5 Imperial Men’s Hockey Bristol 2 -1 Oxford Brookes Women’s Hockey Bristol 4 - 1 Oxford Brookes Men’s Lacrosse Bristol 14 - 1 Portsmouth Women’s Lacrosse: Bristol 5 -2 Oxford Women’s Rugby Bristol 19 - 24 Cardiff Met Women’s Tennis Bristol 6 -6 Bath
Women’s Badminton Bristol 3 - 5 Bath Women’s Fencing Bristol 135 - 62 UWE Men’s Football Bristol 1 - 2 Bournemouth Women’s Football Bristol 1 - 2 Cardiff Met. Women’s Netball Bristol 40 - 57 Southampton Women’s Volleyball Bristol 3 - 2 Bath Men’s Tennis Bristol 2 - 10 Bournemouth
1st team BUCS fixtures
Despite Wednesday’s defeat, ladies’ badminton have enjoyed a string of success this season
WEDNESDAY 10th DECEMBER HOME: Men’s Basketball v Exeter Women’s Basketball v Cardiff Men’s Hockey v Bath Women’s Hockey v Bath Women’s Netball v Bristol 2nds Women’s Tennis v Cardiff Met. All fixtures taken from BUCS website
AWAY: Men’s Badminton v Imperial Women’s Badminton v Bath Men’s Football v Uni of Glos. Men’s Lacrosse v Bath Women’s Lacrosse v Bath Men’s Rugby Union v Cardiff